Sour, Sweet, Sweethearts
by DiabolikFanfics
Summary: AU—Both followed the sight of the tray hitting a male with red-hair in the head in which Yui gasp at, eyes dilating in dread. She covered her mouth with her hands and held her breath in for a split second. Oh god...Why did I throw the tray and...he's mad. Oh god, he's looks really mad right now!
1. Grand Opening

**Summary:** **AU—** **Both followed the sight of the tray hitting** **a** **male with red-hair in** **the** **head** **in** **which Yui gasp** **at** **,** **eyes dilating in dread** **. She covered her mouth with her hands and held her breath in for** **a** **split second.** _ **Oh god...Why did I throw the tray**_ _ **and...he's mad. Oh**_ _ **god**_ _ **, he's**_ _ **looks**_ _ **really mad**_ _ **right now**_ _ **!**_

 **Characters: Sakamaki brothers, Mukami brothers, Yui K.**

 **Genres: Romance, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Family**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

 **Grand Opening**

* * *

"...Argh! That stupid little spoiled brat...It's the weekend and he...Ordering yours truly around like that, how dare he!"

A male with red hair huffed at the end of his little rant. His breath could be seen crystal clear as for it was a cloudy day with a side-dish of gentle but chilly wind. It was a Saturday afternoon with dark gray clouds roaming about in the skies signaling a chance of rain, which bothered him a bit. But the bustling amount of people around the male sure didn't seem to mind. He couldn't believe the amount of people crawling around the streets despite the high chance of rain. If his brother hadn't order him around in the first place he could have been at home, all warm and cozy, playing video games.

He heard his reddish-brown haired brother walking beside him sniggered and glanced beside him. His green eyes almost like the hue of emerald gems glared. "The hell are you laughing for?"

"It's just amusing to see you rant like that, that's all Ayato. That's one of the trait I absolutely love about you~"

Ayato turned away from his brother, comically sticking his tongue out in disgust and replied back. "That last part sickens me...Anyways, why are you even tagging along?"

"Eh," his annoying brother drawled out. "You don't enjoy my company?"

"Just get to your reasoning already!"

"I asked you to buy some macaroon for but I honestly don't trust that you would actually buy my sweets for me."

"Oh, good for you. I actually wasn't even going to buy them for you in the first place.

"Ah...what a cruel brother I have..."

Truly his brother was annoying. No. Both of his brothers were absolutely annoying as hell itself but he could live with it. From time to time, though he would never ever admit out loud, he enjoyed both of his brother's company no matter how annoying they could get.

"Oh look, we're here."

"Ha, let's just hurry it up...no fucking way..." He started to slightly tremble in rage. A few meters ahead was a crowd surrounding the destination, a sweets and bakery shop. Chattering reached his ears about how it would be worth the wait despite the shop being full at the moment and how it was the best shop in the town.

"Hey...you can't be fucking with me right now!"

"Hmm...Kanato did say something about this shop being the best. It's his favorite place to shop for sweets."

"And you didn't tell me in the first place," Ayato shouted in annoyance.

"Well, you never asked~"

"Gah! You've got to be joking with—" A notification sound from his phone interrupted.

 **SweetsManiac: P.S The line will be long and sometimes the shop is full.**

"Are you...This spoiled brat...sending me out on a cold day. Hey, Laito where do you usually buy your macaroon—" He turned beside him to see his brother gone, a confused look plastered on his face. Then he heard a giggling, green eyes taking in the sight of his brother flirting. "Gah, whatever! I'll just wait."

Ayato got closer to the crowd, feeling the googly eyes from females, even from a few males in the crowd, and looks of envy coming from mostly males. He smirked to himself a bit. Most girls would swoon, flock, fight over him, even those who already a lover of their own. He found it ridiculous, especially the girls who are already in a relationship. But he didn't really mind. He didn't mind playing along with them. After all, he got to see their teary faces whenever he finished playing with them. For him, a brokenhearted expression on a girl's face was a truly grand sight to behold, sweet glorious victory.

"Heh..."

 _Ridiculous, that couple over there is already arguing._ From a peripheral view he then saw the boy storm off elsewhere but the girl didn't go after the boy, she turned her attention over to him. His predatory green eyes was now locked on a target. _Hmm, I guess I'll play along_ _just_ _for a bit._

Like hell he would never strive to be in a serious relationship. The phrase "serious relationship" was dead to him, a lie and a fake, even the idea or process of striving for one.

"Yo, are you here alone?"

"Y-Yep, and you?"

 _Che, such a lie but I guess I'll put up with her for a while. Besides..._

The girl had spouted out a rotten lie and he would have snapped at the girl, but he didn't mind it anymore. He was now very used to it; after all, he had encountered plenty of lies in the past up until now.

 _...I always get the reward I want._

Surrounded by a small crowd of girls, Laito secretly watched over his brother, a bit displeased with him.

"We really have to fix him up somehow..."

* * *

"Yui, Azusa, take a break for now," in a new sweets and bakery shop, a male with short pleasantly messy black hair who seemed to be the manager of the place announced as he placed a plate of chocolate cake underneath the glass counter top.

"Ruki...cookies and...cake..."

"We finished everything just in time," a female's voice called out. The swing double doors decorated in white that lead to the kitchen opened and out came the ones known as Yui and Azusa in waiters clothing. Azusa, with curly black hair and bangs slightly past his eyes, had a platter of chocolate chip cookies with raisins. And Yui, with wavy blonde hair, had a platter of cheesecake with raspberry cover the entire surface and raspberry sauced dripping down the sides. "Should we put in the window display or under the glass counter tops?"

Ruki nodded approvingly at the appearance of the cake and cookies,"Put them on window display."

Once finished with the work, the three took their place on the stools that only surrounded the sides of the long counter. The middle part of the counter was for the displays and the cashier area. The counter ending right up against the wall which creates a half circled shaped space for the cashier, so the space wasn't super tight. Plus, the half circle area was connected to the kitchen, a swing door dyed in complete light-pink.

"I hope Kou and Yuma quickly arrives soon. It's almost time for the opening..."

"No worries Ruki, I'm sure be on the time," Yui reassured, looking through the long glass window with a look of surprise presented on her face. She couldn't believe the amount of people crowding around the shop across from this one despite the weather. "Wow...look that. There's a ton of people around the shop across from us even on this type of weather. I hear that shop is the best in town—Ah, a-are you okay Ruki?"

Yui nervously chuckled. It seemed to her that she unnecessarily riled him up.

"Best shop? It's no time to be admiring them Yui, they are now our rivals. We should be trying to steal away their costumers right now...and it's time for the opening right now. You two know what to do right? You must...Treat the costumers...You must..."

"Big sister...he's..."

"Ah...My bad. Just nod Azusa, like we always do..."

Her comment had triggered this type of Ruki to appear. And whenever this happens, they would always use nod attack which was super duper effective because he doesn't pay much attention if whether someone is truly listening to him or not and just rambles on and on.

The bell chimed, signaling someone opening the door which caught the attention of the trio.

Yui's pink eyes lit up as two familiar faces, they had been waiting for, loudly barged into the shop, a male with blonde messy hair with bangs slightly covering his right eyes and the other with messy brown hair. Bother were already dressed in the appropriate attire. Now the whole family was here and it was time for the grand opening. Yui couldn't help it, that a large smile was taking over as an enthusiastic expression lighted up on her features.

"They're finally here Ruki! It's time for the grand opening!"

"Did you guys miss us~"

"Kou, Yuma! I told you two to not oversleep. Do you two not know how...You two have really caused...You two will make up for..."

Now Yui and her three siblings were kneeling on the floor, facing the lecture wrath of the eldest sibling Ruki.

"Yui...you...what did you say to him," Yui's sibling, Yuma, accused her as she felt him headlock her and received a noogie from him.

"I really didn't mean to set him off, I'm truly sorry," she retorted back as her other two brothers, Kou and Azusa, just nodded at Ruki.

Once Ruki was finished with his ramble he raised a brow at his young siblings kneeling on the floor.

"Why are you all kneeling? It's time for the grand opening."

"..." No one retorted back; they just heavily sighed.

...

"Eat as much a you like everyone, all the food is free~" Her brother, Kou, shouted, making all the customers cry out in glee.

The grand opening was going great. Though, it would have been more exciting if there had been people anxiously waiting and crowding around the shop for it to open but it was great. Yui couldn't even contain her wide smile as she served sweets and bakeries and took orders.

Working with her siblings in a sweets and bakery shop was just the best but there was one thing she could not do and that was taking orders or serving male customers. Having a slight phobia of males, with the exception of her brothers, she just could not handle it. _Hmm, I hope_ _no on_ _e notices._

"Here you go!" With a broad smile, she served a family of three, a table around the middle area aligned right against the windows, a large strawberry cake with strawberries creating a circle shape on the surface topped with chocolate sauce and received thanks.

It was then that a table with a couple of boys around her age, behind the family she just served, called for her, though Kou was already their waiter.

"Hello there, I'm here already so I'll be your waiter~"

"We want that waitress to serve us."

"Since I'm already at your table, I'll be serving you so please tell me your orders~"

The polite side of Kou seemed ready to break any second. She could hear it and see it. She had a feeling he just might blow up. And at the thought of damaging their shop's reputation, she gripped the silver tray, used to carry around the food, with both hands and started off with a stutter,"I-I can—"

The bell of the door chimed. Then a gruff and loud voice.

"Everyone stay still! I have a gun and I'm not afraid to use it! I'll be robbing all of this shop's food!"

Everyone in the shop froze still, some raised both arms in the air and children cried.

In Yui's mind, she mentally screamed,"Who robs a shop with a gun when it's giving out free food?"

* * *

"Sorry, I have to go now."

"Yeah, see ya."

After the girl gave Ayato a kiss on the cheek, she was gone in a flash. Ayato heavily sighed, glad the girl was gone and on another note he, of course, got her contact information. And as expected, once the girl was gone, others began swarming around him.

"Hey what's your name?"

"Are you in a relationship?"

"Please go out with me!"

There wasn't much difference with the crowd around the shop, if any, it just grew larger. Ayato peeked through the shop's window as it was still completely packed. It would be a million years later before he would even get to enter the shop at this rate. And guess what else? He even saw a few tables occupied by people, women to be exact, who were already freaking done with their food and just made googly eyes at some waiters. _Are you_ _kidding me_ _right now? The waiters aren't even doing anything about them!_

But thankfully for him, he was already surrounded with girls, toys. He inwardly smirked at the girls flocking around. _I guess I'll just_ _play_ _—_

As if able to read his mind, Laito embraced him from behind and commented,"Nfu~That's not what we're here for~ Don't forget why we're here for Ayato."

"Don't remind me! That stupid spoiled shorty..." He irritatedly rolled his eyes at his brother's reminder, getting triggered. "...And get off of me already—"

"Look, that sweets and bakery shop is getting robbed!"

"Huh? But isn't it their grand opening? I heard all the food are free in there."

"Yeah, and that there's no limit to how much you can get! I wanna check that place out..."

"Well, the police should be here soon."

"The fuck? Who the hell robs shops that's giving out free food? Free? Free...Free food…," Ayato mentally scoffed but then he just remembered something fabulous he heard about the shop from across of this one. It was having a grand opening. "Hey Laito, you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Are we really going into that shop?"

"No duh! You think I'm going to pay for that maniac's food treats when it's free over there," Ayato sassed and grabbed his brother by the forearm, jaywalking across the busy street and igniting a few honks from cars here and there. "To that sweets and bakery shop that's being robbed!"

"You're being way too reckless Ayato…," Laito commented.

"Just hurry it up Laito!"

The honking of cars persisted even more.

"Get off the roads, you're blocking traffic! Geez, teenagers these days..."

* * *

"Hey you, calm your child down!"

Yui gulped as the robber headed towards her area. In the table she served mere minutes ago, the young boy was uncontrollably crying his tears out. The mother and father were both trying to tone done the crying down a bit but it was futile as the robber was already on the case, slamming down a hand on the table, making the child cry out even more, and stared down at the parents.

"Aren't you two his…

Yui was freaking out at the moment, perspiration dripping from her forehead, zoning out, and unable to stop trembling.

"...parents? Hurry up and do something about it or else...

"Waaahahh! D-don't h-hurt mama and p-papa!"

The child's cry stopped her from fully zoning out. She was now somewhat composed, well, at least she could clearly think again. _The shop will definitely get a bad reputation if we can't protect our customers_ _. I..._ She closed her eyes tightly; she inhaled and exhaled.

"Shut your trap kid—"

"Please stop it, you're upsetting our costumers! Our staff will not tolerate this s-so please get it!"

And instantly right after she shouted, she felt the hard glare coming from the robber. She could feel the killing intent coming off of the guy, picture the extremely pissed off face the robber was probably showing right now. _Oh lord, please don't kill me._

"You, what did you just say?"

"Yui," she heard Kou call her name in panic.

She snapped open her eyes, seeing the pissed off male taking a step towards her. With the intuition possibly being attacked by the robber daunting her, Yui, in reflex, swung her tray at the advancing male, aiming for the head. "I'm sorry!"

"Huh? What do you—You bitch!" The man dropped down to his knees, clutching his head in pain but didn't stay down for long. The male was now back on his feet, staggering a bit and menacingly staring down at Yui. "You'll—"

This time around Yui rapidly threw the tray at the attacker. And unfortunately for her, the attacker ducked and the bell of the door chimed.

Both followed the sight of the tray hitting a male with red-hair in head in which Yui gasp at, pink eyes dilating in dread. She covered her mouth with her hands and held her breath in for a split second. _Oh god...Why did I throw the tray_ _and...he's mad. Oh_ _god_ _, he's_ _looking_ _really mad_ _right now_ _!_

The victim was now glaring around at her direction, more precisely... _Huh? He's not glaring at me?_...at the man in front of her.

"You red-head over there! What the hell is wrong with you entering a shop that's being robbed! Now stay still unless you—"

"Bastard, were you the one who fucking threw that tray at yours truly!"

She opened her mouth, about to apologize about accidentally throwing the tray, but then from behind her she felt Kou's hands on her mouth, stopping her from saying anything as he whispered,"Geez, quit being so sincere for once. It's a very good thing you hit that red-head over there."

"Hey listen to me while I—"

"Che, just answer mine fucking question!"

And so, a cruel fate was soon bestowed upon the robber.

"This guy...this is a robbery here—Argh! My balls!"

"Nfu, nice shot Ayato~" Yui's vision began to blur. She heard many voices and sounds, a familiar voice she somewhat recognized... _Was that the voice of Kou's friend?_ _Laito was it?_...the sound of the tray clattering on the floor, police bursting into the store, and the cries of relief from the customers that comforted her as she blacked out.

...

"Che, if there wasn't a robbery we could have gotten the damn sweets and bakery already! That stupid robber, if he didn't lie about having a gun someone could have screwed him up earlier," Ayato complained, walking back home along with his brother. After an eventful day, not really, it was getting close to night.

Soon after the police had arrived at the scene the manager of the shop had declared to close for the day and have another grand opening the next day which would be open at six-thirty in the morning and closed at six in the evening. And best of all, the food was still going to be free.

"By the way Ayato...Kanato told me to tell you to arrive by six-thirty at that shop to get the free sweets."

"Hah? How did he...even know—Bastard, why did you tell him about it!"

"Nfu~My bad~"

"Like hell I'm going to wake up extra early for that!"

* * *

In the living room of a house, the Mukami's house, five siblings out of the six were watching a horror movie while a certain blonde rested in her room she shared with Azusa, well, she was supposed to be resting but she felt she didn't really need it. She felt quite healthy and energetic already so she was in the kitchen preparing some dessert for both herself and her brother, washing all her worries away about the robbery; cooking was a wonderful stress reliever for her.

"Ruki...cake...I smell...delicious cake..."

"What? I didn't make any cake. It was just popcorn."

"Hah? You sure Ruki? The lights to the kitchen is still on."

Kou nudged Yuma who was near the doorway to the kitchen. "Go see what it is—"

Yui peeked her head out the doorway,"Anyone want dessert?"

"Gayaah!" Everyone shrieked in unison.

Yui ended up getting lectured for the second time of the day. "Yui, you're supposed be resting...You need to...After that knock-out...need..."

"Little kitten earned herself a lecture, haha~"

"Hang...in there...big sister..."

"Pfft haha! I feel like you're the one who's always triggering him accidentally."

Yui just nodded and nodded, entering back into the kitchen. _Not another one...If only that robbery never occurred. I mean, just why would someone rob a shop that isn't charging anything yet and even on a grand opening at that!_

"Yui, are you listening to me?"

"I am!"

 _I hope there will be tons of customers tomorrow._


	2. A Cure

**A Cure**

* * *

"Ku...Zzz..." Ayato was snoozing away on his majestic large comfy bed, all cozy and toasty warm under a couple of blankets. But comfort wasn't going to last long for him for it was around five fifteen in the morning; it wasn't even close to the time that new shop would open but...

"...up...Wake up!" He heard a familiar voice; it was the annoying voice of his youngest brother, just a couple of ages below his, Kanato. He groaned, closing his eyes tighter and snuggling his cheek deeper into his pillow, getting a bit more comfy. All he really planned to do today was play video games, buy some of takoyaki along with running Kanato's errand in the afternoon then watch a movie with his brothers.

"Wake up already Ayato! Get up and go fetch me my cake already!"

But like hell he was going to wake up this early, go out into the freezing cold, just to run Kanato's stupid little chore.

"Hmm...mhmm..." Unfortunately for him, he then felt his pillow being taken away, making him hit his cheek against the mattress with a thump, and got assaulted by the stolen object. "Gah! You bastard, go away!"

"Hurry up and get my cake first!"

"Argh, I'll get your stupid freaking cake in the afternoon..." He sat up in bed and brought his hands in front of face to shield him from the pillow assault, only to get hit by the pillow more painfully. Quickly thinking up of an excuse, he blurted out,"I have a date in the afternoon too so quit it and let me rest up!"

"..."

He then felt no more pillow assault, glad his little brother stopped the beating. He successfully stopped Kanato from continuing the pillow attack on him but he still couldn't stop his brother from annoying the hell out of him.

"Keh, what's so important about this one? You're never serious about it...there, now you have no date today," he heard his brother commented. Wait...wait a minute. How in the world was he able to...

"What do you mean—How did you get past the password I set up?"

"Aren't you an idiot? It's so obvious what your password is...I love takoyaki...what a terrible password!"

"Bastard, how dare you insult yours truly like that!"

He was about to snatch back his property, but his annoying ass of a brother threw the phone towards the doorway, towards Laito. His precious phone was now in the hands of his other bothersome brother, Laito. And in a split sec, the notification sound rang.

"Nfu~ She just asked why you're busy~ What should I text back?"

"She doesn't need a reason so just leave it like that." Ayato heavily sighed as he got out of his bed, not able to persuade his brothers in letting him sleep in; he couldn't even stop them from annoying him half the time so he just gave in earlier this time around. When finished with his daily routine of brushing his teeth, he was about to look though his closet for something warm to wear when suddenly Laito grabbed him by his forearm and out of his own bedroom he went.

"Wait—what...What the hell! I'm going to freeze out there without my jacket!"

Kanato fussed. "No one cares if you freeze to death, just get my cake!"

...

"Brr..."

Yui huffed and puffed as she ran. It was so cold she could see her own breath crystal clear as she exhaled out her mouth as well as out her nose. There was even ice on the sidewalk...though there wasn't really much of it, but still, it was freezing outside! But as chilly as morning was, the sky just blanketed with light gray clouds, she was adorned in winter clothing such as a simple light brown fur coat, ending around her ankles, which wasn't very puffy but satisfyingly warm and a pink fuzzy sweater worn underneath that also kept her toasty warm.

The parts of her body that were just cold as heck were her cheeks and nose.

"Ha...how dare they mess with my timer! Geez, telling me to go to work...How could they!" Yui softly fumed as she ran, furious with her brothers. She understood very well that her brothers were worried about her but she thought they really shouldn't worry much. It wasn't like she was completely traumatized over yesterday's incident or anything. Anyone could pass out from such an unexpected robbery after all. "They shouldn't worry about me so much..."

Granted that she still has a phobia of men, she would diligently work on fully overcoming that fear. After all she couldn't let her brother's hard work go to waste. Because of her siblings, the only dilemma she probably has as of right now is speaking with men, always stuttering here and there. She just could not waste her siblings' efforts.

Finally having arrived in front of the shop's door, she hurriedly knocked on it for a few times then smacked the cold glass with the front of her hands to get the attention of her siblings inside the place.

"They better...What...But..." she quit her onslaught on the door for a few moments. From inside the shop she saw Ruki, giving her a look that told her to go back home and rest and Yuma, along with Azusa, waving at her in greeting. As for Kou, she presumed he was in the kitchen.

"Open the door," she hollered as she resumed her assault on the ice-cold door.

She promptly saw Ruki on his phone and in a jiffy she received a text message. Yui took out her phone and read the...lengthy ass text message she just got from...her big brother...Ruki. "There's no way I'm going to head home now!"

"Kah..." Yui frowned as her hands slowly sliding off the glass door; her arms were now drooping by her sides as she heavily sighed. "I guess I'll just wait until they open..."

She made herself comfy, sitting in front of the door and leaning her back against the glass. She cupped her hands, brought them in front of her mouth and exhaled, warming up her hands. "Maybe I should have worn mittens..."

Gazing around the area, the streets wasn't as busy as she assumed it would be. _Maybe it gets busy at eight or seven…_ Her eyes then landed on the back of a long light green bench, about six feets away, in front of her with someone sleeping on it and got a glimpse of red hair. That red hair was very familiar...to her...and it was...the guy she had unintentionally hit with the tray yesterday. _Oh shoot—_ _Oh,_ _wait a minute._ _S_ he inspected further and became aware that he was asleep, taking a nap.

"Ah, thank god," she commented, letting out a breath of relief and took one long gaze at the red-head. "Hmm, it looks like he's shivering over there..."

Yui stood up and walked over to the bench. _He's really shivering._ One thing that just instantly caught her attention when she inspected his features was his teeth chattering. She swiftly took off her coat, draping the warm clothing on the male like a blanket. "There we go, that should—Kya!"

The redhead grabbed hold of her left wrist, making dilated pink eyes meet aesthetic drowsy green ones.

"Hmm...Laito? Is that—" Yui yanked her arm away from him, about to slap him with her free hand but before her hand could come in contact with his cheek, she was caught again. He was still drowsy; his eyes was half closed. "Bastard, why are you trying to slap me Laito...wait a moment...Who are you?"

She felt as though this was the most embarrassing moment in her life. She was hovering over him, like she was about to kiss the guy. Both of her wrists were in his grasp and though he wasn't entirely wide awake, he had a secure hold on her.

"You...What...are you doing—"

Her cheeks were splashed in red and the cause of it was definitely not the cold as she stuttered. "It's n-not what it looks like! I-I w-wasn't trying to—"

"Yui!" She heard Kou's voice as she felt herself being torn away from the redhead's grip. His hands were quiet cold so she was glad she was no longer in his grip. "Control your brother Laito, geez! Hey, are you okay little kitten?"

She nodded, assuring her brother she was alright. But the redhead was certainly not going to be fine. She gasped when Kou's friend, Laito, started to pour hot coffee all over the red-head's face. "Is he going to be alright Kou?"

"Ayato? Of course he'll be alright, no worries~ Now, let's get you inside." She was pushed inside the shop, a very cozy and snug place but felt guilty when she heard screams and cursing. Even from inside the shop, she could still heard Laito's and Ayato's voices and she was most certain the redhead, which Kou mentioned was Ayato, was not okay at all.

"Wake up~ Rise and shine Ayato~" Laito spoke in a playful voice but she also detected a hint of menace in his tone.

Ayato screamed, pissed at Laito. "What the hell Laito—It burns! Ow, ow, it fucking burns so much!"

Definitely not alright.

...

Seated in one of the tables aligned right next to the window, Ayato looked out through the window, listening to his brother interact with the people associated with the shop. His elbow was propped on the table while his cheek was supported by the palm of his hand.

"It's all dirty now, sorry Yui."

"I-It's o-okay!"

"Oh? You're not used to me yet?"

"S-sorry..."

"Nfu~ It's okay. Besides, this is the first time meeting in person after all. Nice to finally meet you in person~"

"Y-yes! M-me t-too!"

Ayato heard a different voice interject. "Hah? You're making no sense you idiot."

"Yuma is...right. Big Sis...should rest..."

"I told you to go back home and rest Yui."

Soon after that, Ayato heard laughter, groans and a lecture.

"Just how does he know them...Besides, why was he so mad with me," he murmured. His brother seemed to be familiar with them quite well, especially the one known as Kou. _Laito did say something about an idol_ _once_ _._ Anyhow, that Kou guy was the only face he was familiar with since he would always see his face on television.

"Hello~" Ayato heard Kou drawl out and felt the presence of the idol but his eyes were still glued though the window; the streets were getting a bit busy as he heard car honks. But he redirected attention to Kou, glaring at the idol, when the blonde mocked. "Would you like a hot cup of coffee again~"

"Bastard—"

"Then, how about a cake to cool off~"

"Hah? What are you going on about—" A freaking cake was mashed into his face but the remains of the cake got into his mouth which tasted way too delicious for him to burst into rage.

"If you try to harass her again, you'll get more then just a cake in your face." The idol had a very lively smile on his face but the tone he used was in complete utter contrast to that disturbing bright smile. The idol's tone was threatening with a hint of playfulness to it, like the type of voice Laito had used when he woke him up with freaking hot coffee. But he had no absolutely no clue why he was getting threatened here. _Bitch_ _p_ _lease, I was just taking a fucking nap on that bench._

"Hah? The hell are you even talking about? If anything she's the one who was trying to assault me!"

"As if I would believe you," the idol shot back, about to slam the cake into his face once more.

"Kou! What are you doing!"

"Eh? What—" the idol turned back to face another blonde, a female with wavy shoulder length hair; he remembered her and knew that she was the true culprit that hit him in the head with a tray but he let it that slide yesterday.

The blonde female walked over to his table with a tray carrying a warm cup of coffee and a slice of, what he assumed to be, blueberry cake and place it in front of him as she explained her side of the story. "I'm the one who bothered him. He didn't do anything bad at all! Hurry and clean up this mess Kou."

"Tch, you're way too kind for your own good." The idol glared at him before disappearing off into the kitchen to fetch the cleaning materials.

He just rolled his eyes and muttered insults. "What a bitchy idol...Stupid idol bastard, how fucking dare he blame yours truly..."

"I-I'm really s-sorry about that..." His attention was now directed to the blonde female, checking her out by instinct. More specifically, he was checking out her chest. _W_ _ith that flat chest of hers..._ _Tch,_ _she'_ _s totally_ _not my type at all._ He now studied her face, amused with how nervous she was around him. She was a stuttering mess. "I-I h-hope you enjoy this lemon blueberry c-cake..."

He was amused with her. She couldn't even manage make eyes contact with him. She was nervous, afraid, shaking all over as if she would collapse any second. _Heh, maybe_ _she's afraid that I know she was the one who hit me with a tray yesterday._ Her cheeks were rosy red, almost the color of a deep red rose itself. She was just so entertaining to him that he couldn't help but want to tease this one. When she was about to turn around and head into the kitchen, he commented. "Hey, you're face is really red. Do have a fever? Maybe you need—"

"I-I don't h-have a fever at all! I-I d-don't need to r-rest!"

He would usually use that line as a pick up line but this time around he was just using it to tease a girl. Her reaction was way too amusing. Aside from other girls he flirted with, this one just lit up in flames.

And it wasn't because she was infatuated with him nor mad that he used a pick up line on her. Heck, he bets she doesn't even she was being flirted with.

She was enraged because she thought he was implying something else.

To him, he found that odd and hilarious.

...

"S-so, if y-you're trying to t-tell me I n-need rest, I-I don't need any b-because I'm p-perfectly h-healthy!" The nerve of that guy. She couldn't believe he was about to suggest that she needed to rest. Soon after her little outburst, the redhead just burst into laughter. "W-What..."

"W-What a-are you laughing at?" She stuttered, not able to comprehend what made him burst out into laughter.

She frowned as he just continued laughing. "Bah...hah...Hah aha!"

Kou's friend, Laito, came and silenced the one known as Ayato with a method she disapproved of. He took Ayato's slice of lemon blueberry cake and smothered it all over the redhead's face, enraging him. "You...You wanna die Laito?"

"Cool off Ayato. Besides, you're not allowed to flirt with little bitch."

She saw Kou exit the kitchen, but he didn't have the cleaning materials. What he had was just a rectangle sized cake and for some reason he was glaring at Ayato whose laughter slowly came down to a soft chuckle. "Quit calling her that Laito! She's more like a cat, not a dog!"

"Eh~ But your nickname doesn't fit her at all~"

Azusa sent Ayato a death glare. "How...dare he..."

Yuma looked ready for a fight, glaring at Ayato and cracking his knuckles. "Heh~ So this is the bastard who touched her?"

Ruki was also glaring at Ayato while indirectly trying to threaten him. "Laito, train your brother to not flirt with every single girl he sees...especially with Yui or else he will definitely receive a bloody nose from Yuma."

"Yes, yes~ Roger that~"

"Huh? F-Flirt," she questioned ridiculously, furrowing her brows. She thought it was ridiculous, most certain that the guy wasn't flirting with her. "He wasn't flirting with..."

She heard a snort coming from Ayato who wasn't fazed with her siblings' glares or threats one bit and turned to face him, sending him a curious look but then received a task of containing her laughter. "W-What is it..."

"Yours truly was flirting with you but don't worry, I have no intention of dating someone with a flat chest."

He was mocking her. So full of himself with that confident sickening smirk plastered on his lips but she couldn't take him seriously with the remnants of the cake along with a white frosting mustache on his face and just burst into laughter instead of bickering with him.

"Y-You...ah haha pft...haha!"

She collapse in her knees, the tray dropping to the floor beside her, and clutched her stomach as she laughed.

She really couldn't take him seriously right now.

"You—What are you laughing at you flat chest," he provoked.

"Ah haha—Please don't call me that!"

"Flat chest, flat chest, flat chest~"

"Don't—"

"Flat chest, flat chest~"

"Please cut it out already!"

"Amazing~ Little bitch didn't stutter at all." She heard Laito comment.

Her siblings stared at the her and Ayato in wonder while Ayato had this 'what the fuck is going on' expression.

Yui blinked a couple of times, registering what Laito had said. And just in case she truly wasn't dreaming, she pinched and slapped her cheeks with both of her hands. "You're right!"

Laito was absolutely correct. She didn't stutter once while she was bickering with Ayato.

...

"Hey Ruki, let's have my dear brother help her completely get over her fear of men~"

"Hmm, I will consider that option."

"What are you—" Ayato didn't know what in the heck was happening or what his brother was getting him into. "Like hell I'm going to spend time with this flat chest!"

"Eh~ Why not?"

"Flat chested ones aren't my type, you know that already!"

"He's hooking you up with her idiot," he heard the idol drawled out in annoyance. "Just help her out if you can."

He still felt murderous intents coming from the girl's siblings but it didn't disturb him. He had been beaten up pretty badly by quite a number of girls with siblings before, so feeling their death glares and the deadly intentions was no big deal for him. "No way—"

"Kanato and I will stop bothering you if you agree."

And because of Laito's quick thinking, Ayato instantly took the bait.

"Gah! Why can't I go home!"

Now he was in the shop's resting room. Voices of customers pouring into the shop could be heard as he lied on a black couch, staring at the ceiling in boredom. The blonde girl wasn't his type at all. If her chest was bigger he would have accepted the task of curing her phobia of men with no objections whatsoever. Well, anyhow, he was now stuck with nursing the blonde but at least he got reasonable deal with Laito also... A smirk settled on his lips. _Heh, maybe I should play around with this one while I'm at it._

"Let go Yuma! I don't need any rest, I'm perfectly fine and healthy!"

"Yes, yes now in you go!"

He sat up when he heard voices getting near the resting room which was connected to the kitchen with a doorway adorned with a bead curtain that created the image of cakes and cupcakes. Entering the resting room was the blonde and her sibling with brown messy hair.

"Hey! You better not mess with her!"

Yuma was much taller than him but he wasn't intimidated and just rolled his eyes at the warning.

"Che, I would never go for a girl with a flat chest."

"Is that so...Tch, I actually trust you on that." With that said, Yuma exited the room.

"This is unfair...I'm perfectly well rested already..."

He saw that the blonde was about to take a seat on the couch but he swiftly laid back down, taking up all the space and managed to irritate her.

"Please move your legs off the couch."

He flat out ignored her request and randomly commented. "You can sit on me if you want...You know...you're really weird Pancake..."

"I'm not going to sit on you." He saw her take seat on the floor, leaning against the couch. "And pancake?"

"It's your nickname because of you're flat-chested."

"Don't call me that!"

And just like that her cheeks were dyed red. He couldn't believe how easily he could get her so upset and enraged; he wasn't sure but he just might be intrigued with the idea of playing around with her a bit, to break her little heart for fun. She seemed way too easy to break. Perhaps he could set a record of breaking a girl's heart within a week; his fastest record was a month.

"Then, how about flat chest?"

"Please don't call me such nicknames relating to the size of my chest y-you...mustache cake man!"

One thing for certain though was that she was amusing to him, hilarious in fact.

"What...the fuck...You—Then it's decide, your nickname is Pancake!"

"Please stop calling my that or else your nickname will be mustache cake man!"

"Pancake, pancake~"

"Quit it—"

Ruki popped in for a lecture. "I can hear you two squabble from the cashier area. I'm sure even the customers have heard your bickering as well. What is wrong with you two...Act more mature...Quit acting like little..."

"Che, I don't need this stupid lecture—"

"What was that? Do I need to start over again?"

His ears was traumatized after about an hour later. When the lecture was finished, he just zoned out and stared at the ceiling along with Yui till the shop closed and night came.


	3. Dead Garden

**Dead Garden**

* * *

"Che, stupid Laito..." Ayato rinsed his teeth with water, gurgled for a minute or less and spit the water into the sink. "Maybe I shouldn't have agreed so quickly..."

Not to say he disliked having to cure the flat-chested girl's phobia of men but where in the heck was his peace and quiet it around here? Regardless of him accepting the task, his brothers were still getting on his goddamn nerves. Heck, just mere minutes ago Laito and Kanato woke him up with pillows, by a double pillow attack which they had stated that it was the only way of waking him up for school.

"Those two are still little pieces of shit..."

He changed into clothing to his liking, which gets him after school detention for about thirty minutes every single day, that consisted of black jeans a bit ripped up around the knee area, a white shirt and cozy black jacket instead the standard school uniform once he finished brushing his teeth and headed down stairs to the living room afterward. There, in the living room, was his brothers, dressed in school uniform, seated in the carpet floor in front of the oval blackish brown table, watching a cooking program while eating breakfast...

...And breakfast was...sweets...again...

"The hell! We can't always be having sweets for breakfast! What's wrong with you guys?"

He grabbed both pillows from the sofa they were leaning against and smacked the backs of his brothers' heads. Eldest brother by a month, Laito, just bobbed his head. But Kanato...Kanato was a bitch about it. The purple head fought back in response to his pillow attack, snatched both the pillows away from Ayato and started smacking the living crap out of him, shouting in irritation. "Shut your mouth already and let me learn how to make cake!"

"Bastard, quit hitting with the pillow—Che!"

He was now lying on the sofa flat on his back as he wrestled with his purple-haired sibling for the pillows. About to reach for the controller on the table to change the channel, he commented. "Learn how to cook something! Sweets are getting annoying to have them every morning!"

"Shut up! How dare you insult sweets!"

Today's breakfast was sweets, as usual, cakes and cookies with tea. Ayato was sick of the morning breakfast his younger brother would always serve so sometimes he would skip breakfast and eat at school, but he rarely ever skipped out on home breakfast because, on the bright side, it wasn't always the same sweets each and every morning. Today's breakfast menu was a simple red velvet cake, colorful m and m cookies and chocolate tea. He wasn't going to skip out today.

"Quit hitting me—mph, you'll suffocate me!

He failed in trying to reclaim the two pillows, suffering the pillow assaults from Kanato.

"Like I care! You can die for all I care!"

"Gah! After all the things yours truly had done for you, you—"

The doorbell rang a couple of times, interrupting Ayato. Then ringing of the doorbell came to a stop for a couple of minutes before the spamming of the doorbell proceeded, making the two on the sofa stop their wrestling. Ayato stared at the living room door in question. _What..._ _no one visits this early_ _..._ "Who is..."

"Go get the door Ayato." His two brothers ordered in unison.

"Grrr...You two..." He didn't even try to put up a fight as he promptly got off the sofa, making Kanato topple onto the floor which earned him a curse word from his little brother. He opened the living room door to be greeted by familiar faces from yesterday. The Mukami siblings, from what Laito had informed him, were standing right before him.

Blinking a few times, trying to register his thoughts, he quickly slammed the door shut and yelled. "Hey Laito—"

The notification sound for receiving text messages on his phone rang as he heard groans and grunts from the other side of the door as well as knocking and the doorbell being spammed some more. Ayato took out his phone from the pocket of his jeans and looked at the messages. From Ruki, he received a long ass of a text message. From Azusa, Yuma and Kou, he got complaints about the cold weather outside and he should let them all in. And from Yui, he got a snowflake emoji and a message politely asking him to let them in.

What the...When did he even get their contact information? He swore he never asked for it but he figured it was Laito's doing.

"Laito!" He screeched; his murderous intent just shot high up. Not only did his brother touch his property but added people's contacts into his freaking phone!

"Nfu~ You're gonna need it anyways if you're going to help out you know~" Laito informed. He texted someone on the phone and pressed send. "Besides, you don't complain when I add random girls to your contact list."

"That's different! You're not allowed to—"

And right after that, the doors flung open to reveal the Mukami siblings. Kou and Yuma noisily barged right on in while Ruki, Azusa and Yui muttered "pardon us for the intrusion" before entering.

He sighed heavily; he badly wanted to kick Laito in the testicles right now.

The idol and the tall one snacked on the cookies, devouring the last few cookies left on the plate. To say he wasn't pissed would be a lie; he was about to bitch over it when Yui warned her the two to not trigger Ruki.

"Kou, Yuma don't just take one without asking! You'll make Ruki—"

But it was far too late. The eldest Mukami brother was triggered and so begins the lecture, forcing everyone in the room to kneel down on the ground. Well no, not really, but somehow they all found themselves kneeling on the ground before the devil.

Ayato didn't know how or why but he was somehow kneeling on the ground before Ruki, blindly listening to the scolding. His ears had been already traumatized yesterday, he didn't need another long ass speech from Ruki again.

Beside him was Yui, sluggishly nodding. To him, the blonde didn't even seem to have a phobia of mean in the first place but Laito had informed him about her fear, how extreme it was in the past. _A fear of men? I doubt it._ He mentally scoffed in distrust, rolling his eyes. She seemed to act pretty normal around him yesterday, just a bit of stuttering here and there. He couldn't believe that she had an extreme phobia of men with how she acted now.

Suddenly he felt the eldest Mukami brother's presence shadowing over him with a death glare, making him look up. He then heard Ruki question in a menacing tone. "And what are you staring at?"

Ayato actually felt a chill down his spine. And though he was terrified out of his freaking mind right now, he sassed back while stuttering. "Che, it's not like I'm g-going to hit on her or anything. B-Besides, I made myself clear yesterday that I'm not into flat-chested girls..."

Under Ruki's death glare, he was a nervous wreck. But thankfully the blonde came to his rescue.

"I'm sure it's nothing like that Ruki. Let's all just head to school now."

To Ayato's relief, Ruki reluctantly let it slide. Ayato probably would have pissed in his pants if he were to be questioned even more.

"Nfu~ Let's get going then~"

"Wait a minute! I didn't even get to eat breakfast yet!"

Kanato stuck his tongue out at him. "You complained about having sweets for breakfast! You can starve to death till lunch."

...

Laito was in front of the group with Kou and behind them were Azusa and Kanato. And behind those two, were Ruki, Yuma and Yui. Ayato trailed behind the trio, eavesdropping on everyone's conversations.

"Nfu~ Just about every student are excited about you attending the school, Kou. Especially all the girls~"

"Heh~ Really?"

Ayato silently scoffed to himself.

"Hey Kanato...it's nice to see you again..."

"Don't talk to me right now or I won't show you to your classes!"

"Huh...What are you playing on your phone Kanato?"

"Shut up! You're distracting me!"

Interestingly enough, Kanato and Azusa were familiar with each other since their last year of middle school together; both were now freshman of high school. He rolled his eyes at his brother's threat. _Tch..._ _it's the middle of November and y_ _ou_ _still_ _don't even_ _remember_ _where some of your classes are and yours truly has to help_ _you_ _with that sometimes._ He presumed Kanato was playing a game related to sweets on his phone since he knew that was the kind of games he would download on his phone.

"Ah! Amazing!"

He almost would have bumped into Yui, sandwiched between Yuma and Ruki, if she hadn't commented.

The blonde was awed by the display through a pet shop's window. Pink eyes gleamed in excitement with hands against a pet shop's window. Parrots, snakes hamsters, small medium animals were put on display.

"Yuma, Ruki! Look! They're all adorable!"

Ayato caught her staring at a snake that was...waving its tail at her as she waved back to it and questioned ridiculously. "The snake? Adorable?"

She just joyfully nodded her head in response.

She didn't seem to be a snake person. With how fragile and delicate she looked to him, she would seem more like a rabbit, fish or turtle person. He didn't expect for her to take a liking to a snake.

"Heh," he drawled to himself then randomly commented. "You don't seem like a snake person."

"Ah, actually my favorite animal are cats and dogs," she chirped. For someone with a stuttering problem around males, she didn't stutter around him one bit. Perhaps it was because she was way too captivated by the animals, but he started to doubt the blonde of having a phobia of men. He had dated such girls with a fear of something which always turns out that they never had the fear in the first place. He was skeptical of Yui's case; he didn't fully believe it. "Yuma, don't you think snakes will help out our garden."

"Of course it will! Hey Ruki, let's get—"

"We're deciding together remember? And it's not Christmas yet."

With pouts plastered on Yuma and Yui, the journey to school continued.

When they all arrived in front of the school entrance, the Mukami siblings had neutral looks on their faces with the exception of Yuma and Yui. Those two were staring in fascination, at a grand black gate decorated with ribbons and fake roses. About twenty five feet behind the fancy gate was a gorgeous sculpture, in color, of a rose in the middle of a circle shaped grass area.

"And welcome to Rosy Bed high school~"Laito announced.

"A-Amazing," Yuma and Yui mumbled in unison.

"Then, I'll be going then," Ruki announced as he turned around and headed back. Azusa, Kou, and Laito waved goodbye while Yui and Yuma sluggishly waved their hands in goodbye as well, still admiring the view of the school's entrance.

Ayato raised a brow in confusion. "What...I thought..."

Laito informed. "Ruki goes works full time in the bakery. He's in his early twenties you know."

"What about—"

"He can actually manage everything himself," the idol chimed in. "When we get home from school we help out a bit."

Laito, along with Kanato, were Kou's and Azusa's tour guides while Laito assigned Yuma and Yui to Ayato. But he wasn't really in the mood to give them a tour. He was planning on getting breakfast in the school cafeteria. And though school food was terrible, Ayato wanted breakfast or he would starve.

He groaned and made a fuss. "Why do I have to show them around? Can't you two do it instead?"

Laito rolled his eyes, getting tired of his complaining while Kanato glared and retorted back. "Quit complaining! You didn't even get me my cake yet! You better get it today—"

"Whatever!" On the second thought he should probably get on with the tour already. He signaled Yuma and Yui to follow him, briskly walking ahead of them to avoid Kanato's little fuss about him not bringing him a cake home. Though now about a dozen feet away, he was still able to hear Laito's and Kanato's voices.

"Hey Laito, is that girl another one of—"

Laito swiftly interrupted. "No, she's not going to fall for him that easily. Besides, he'll never be able to...Nfu~"

He regarded back to a thought. The thought of making the girl, Yui, infatuated with him and to break her in just merely a week came back, now fresh on his mind. He debated on the thought he had been unsure of yesterday and made up his mind, inwardly smirking to himself. _Yours truly will play around with her and she'll definitely fall for yours truly...this week._

He found himself a new toy to play with and hopes it breaks within this week.

...

Ayato showed the pair every inch of the school, not skipping out on any buildings or places. And the last place to show off was a medium sized garden enclosed with rose bushes. The garden was half dead. Some plants were rotting, dying, barely surviving while a few were somewhat healthy. Even a handful of roses were all wrinkled up on "...but it's just dead garden now. No one hangs around here anymore."

Surprisingly Yuma questioned in rage, scowling. "Hah? Why is that?"

Ayato replied in an obvious tone. "What else? It got neglected."

"How terrible..."

Ayato truly didn't expect crestfallen look on Yui. She was kneeling on the ground, gently caressing a tomato; half of it was rotten while the other half was fairly healthy. She was genuinely filled with sorrow, showing pity for the garden.

Ayato thought back to his challenge he made for himself and inwardly sniggered. His official new toy just seemed so easy to break; his challenge seemed like a piece of cake. It was going to be a cinch to make her fall and shatter just within this week. _Heh, I wonder what kind of face she'll make_ _once_ _I'_ _m done with her_ _._

With that, it was the end of the tour and loud chimes of the bells rang throughout the school.

Ayato slept through his first class of the day as usual. He would always sleep through first period and the teacher didn't really mind since he was getting an excellent grade anyways. After first, Ayato would be wide awake for the rest of the school day. Second period came, then third, and fourth passed by and finally it was lunch time. It was the time which every student in the school would impatiently wait for.

"Where are they..."

Today's lunch time was a tad bit different from usual for Ayato. His little brother was the one who always brought lunch. Most of the time Ayato would eat lunch with his brothers in their usual spot, the outside lunch tables set up in front of the cafeteria, while on some occasions he would hang around with others, mostly girls, during lunch. More specifically, on occasions he would sneak up on the rooftop with a girl usually doing...intimate...activities which most certainly was not eating lunch together.

The odd part of today was that his brothers weren't around in the usual spot so he went searching for them.

...

Yui watched as Yuma uprooted dead plants and threw them into a large black bag, working revive the garden. Then she looked back to the dead tomato in her hand. She didn't really know if it was wrong to be rehabilitating the half dead garden. Her brother didn't even ask for permission yet and just did as he pleased.

She threw the tomato into the bag and questioned while Kou warned.

"Shouldn't we get permission first?"

"Hey Yuma! Hurry up and get permission first, you'll get Ruki upset with us!" Kou and Azusa, along with Kanato and Laito, were sitting on the ground near the rose bush arch entrance and the rose bushes which acted as a fences, having lunch together.

Of course she thought they should get approval first but if it meant she was able to make the garden turn out to be better that what it is now, she was completely alright with lending her brother a hand and possible getting detention. Actually the latter was something she was not okay with at all. Getting detention on the first day of school would be straight out dreadful for her ears and her sanity.

"We'll be it later."

Startled, Yui exclaimed and tried to reason with Yuma. "Eh! But we'll get—"

"I said later! Keep on uprooting those dead plants!"

"We'll all get scolded by Ruki again..."

"Don't jinx it!"

"Yes, yes..."

She was sure it'll happen regardless and continued picking out the dead plants.

"Yours truly demands food! Where the hell were you two!"

Yui heard a conceited voice and saw Ayato burst through the rose bush arch entrance, glaring at his brothers but soon his green eyes met with her pink ones. Green eyes shined with surprise then with mischief. "Did you get permission yet?"

Dismissing the look in Ayato's eyes, she shook her head and turned back to her task of uprooting dead plants.

"You know, you'll get detention if you don't." He was taunting her with his ever so conceited voice mixed with mockery, making her a bit ticked off. "Did you hear me flat-chest?"

"Hey," he dragged out the vowel sound. "Did you hear me Pancake?"

This time the sound louder but she was getting more ticked off to dwell on it further. It was odd how she would be able to naturally talk with this guy, especially when this guy calls her ridiculous nicknames.

"Get away from little kitten!"

"Big sis...get away...from her..."

Her brothers snapped her out of anger, leaving her baffled instead. _What are they talking about..._

"Hey you bastard, you can't be near her!"

 _Near? What is_ _he talking_ _..._ And right after Yuma finished his statement, she felt herself being pulled in front of someone by the shoulders, shielding that someone from a half rotted tomato which hit her right in the face. She blinked a couple of times trying to registering what just happened. She touched cheek with her hand. "Huh?...I'm..."

She heard sniggering coming from behind her and when she turned around she found Ayato laughing his ass off, the culprit of her current predicament. _Ah, no wonder his voice_ _was_ _loud_ _er_ _that time_ _..._

"Ah ha ha ha! Y-You're covered with tomato you flat chest!"

Her cheeks lit up in deep red in embarrassment mixed with anger. She instantly thought up of a nickname which Laito had revealed to her when he told her and Kou about Ayato's little incident around elementary school age over a video chat. It was something about him dirtying the pool water at his own birthday party at home.

She knew it was rude but she threw a rotten tomato at Ayato, successfully landing a hit. "We're even now...now what was the nickname again...Ah, Party Pooper!"

And promptly after Yui called him that nickname, she earned herself another rotten tomato to the face.

"Bastard, who told you that!"

A war erupted after that.

"Oh my~ Lunch is all ruined now...look what you did Ayato."

"M-My sweets! How dare Ayato!"

"Shut it!"

"My hairdo and clothing! Ugh...Yui!"

"Who cares!"

"I'm sorry Kou!"

Dead plants were thrown everywhere which worked in favor of Yuma who, instead of taking part of the over slaughter of veggies and fruits, picked up the dead plants that was thrown all over the place and tossed them into the bag.

"And what on earth is with this mess!"

Everyone froze up at the principal's enraged voice.

On the inside, Yui was shedding tears. For sure she knew her brothers and as well as herself will be scolded by Ruki the second time of today. _No!_ _We can't get detention on the first day of school!_

...

Everyone earned detention until school was over, meaning they would all be skipping fifth and sixth period but for Ayato it wasn't a big deal. Plus, he was staying an additional thirty minutes since his teacher from first period assigned him after school detention. He didn't really mind but what irked him was how optimistic the blonde girl was.

"Che, why are you so happy?" She was seated a few seats diagonally away from him while her brothers and his brothers were seated around her. The teacher that was supposed to be watching over them went out for a food and everyone was pretty much on their phone.

Yui faced him with an awfully bright smile. "After all, the principal is letting us take care of the garden from now on!"

He rolled his eyes, thinking how absurd it was that she was all cheery and cheerful just because of that, and commented. "Heh...You won't be stable with it."

"...Stable? What do you mean?"

Ayato was certain she had never been in a relationship before and if she were to have one, he was certain she wouldn't have a stable one. More like her first relationship will not be a stable one. After all, he was confident she was going to fall for him and it's never ever a stable relationship with him.

"Tch...Anyways, you'll just stop caring for it after a couple of months."

"Don't worry, I won't."

"Impossible...what an idiotic Pancake."

He saw her cheeks all puffed up and dyed in red; he enjoyed her irritated expression.

"It is possible!"

"Sure," he drawled out and sarcastically replied back. "Of course it'll be possible."

"I'll definitely care for it every single day!"

"Big sis...never lies...but only...when it's necessary..."

"Yui is probably the most honest person you could get."

"Little kitten always keeps her words."

He honestly doubted it.

A serious, stable, whatever relationship it's called, doesn't even exist.

...

When school was over, the Mukami siblings all went home. While Ayato and his brothers stayed behind in the detention room. His brothers didn't have after school detention but they stuck around for a few minutes.

"So Ayato~ You made Yui your official toy for now?"

"Hah? How did you—"

"Nfu~ You won't be able to do it within a week Ayato~ And you'll definitely get beat up for this."

"Like I care, I still have six more days left." Besides, he was very confident. His new record will undoubtedly be a week; there was no doubt about that. He wasn't afraid of her brothers one bit.

"I'm going home now."

"Well~ I'll be off too, I have somewhere to be~"

"Tch, you two are terrible brothers."


	4. Five Days Left

**Five Days Left**

* * *

"Ugh...Why are we here? Che..."

Ayato buried his face in his arms and groaned, complaining to his purple-haired brother who was seated across from him playing a game on the phone. And by the sounds he was hearing from Kanato's device, he figured his brother was playing some sort of cooking game.

It was around seven in the morning right now and he still wasn't fully awake, unlike his purple-haired brother who was very wide awake. And just like yesterday had been, Ayato felt that today was going to be yet another abnormal day. He, along with Kanato, had been dragged out of the house by Laito and arrived in the Mukami siblings' bakery shop around six.

"Sometimes you're awake earlier than this on the weekends with random girls." Ayato heard his little brother comment in irritation. "What's so different about today?"

"That's different," his voice was muffled a bit but he didn't bother to pick his head up to speak more clearly. "I stay up late during the weekends...Wait a minute."

Ayato found it unusual how the purple head knew that kind of information. He picked his head up and ridiculously questioned. "Hey, Kanato...how do you know—"

"That's because I—Ugh, don't talk to me when I'm playing my game!"

"Ugh, whatever..."

Ayato yawned and buried his face back in his arms, too tired to care. He closed his eyes; a small nap sounded like a perfect idea at the moment. But a few moments later he heard plates being placed on the table and his brother expressing thanks. It was out of the ordinary since he never hears the words thank you come out of his brother's mouth, up until now that is.

"...It's free..."

"Thanks Azusa..."

He picked up his head to see...a cake…

It was like his cake had been murdered. His slice of cheesecake, placed on a paper plate, had been stabbed with a fork multiple times. Half of it was just crumbles mixed with hot sauce and someone got way too generous with the hot sauce but on his brother's plate were cookies left unharmed. "Uh..."

"...Kou said something...about trying something new and...your brother...Laito said hot sauce would be your coffee for today...Sorry..."

"Oh...It's okay..." His voice faltered near the end as he started to poke at the slaughtered cake with the plastic fork.

"Azusa, can you place this on display—Huh...What happened to that cake..." Yui came out of the kitchen, carrying a whole cheesecake which was way gorgeous looking than what he had on his own plate. Unlike his, it wasn't just a plain old cheesecake. The top was all covered with blueberry and blueberry sauce, blueberry sauce running down the sides. It looked way more delectable than the plain one sitting in front of him.

"...Laito...and Kou...were...experimenting..."

"We're not supposed...We'll lose out customers that way!" The blonde sighed, a disapproved look made its way on her features. "Kah...Azusa, could you make another cheesecake for the display window?"

"Okay..."

Ayato pushed the cake aside. Although he had said his was okay with...the cake being murdered and all, there was no way he was going to eat this fiery slice of hell those two had created especially for him. "Tch...Laito and that dumb idol...They piss me off..."

"I'm sorry..." The delicious looking cheesecake cover with blueberry was set on his table. "Maybe I shouldn't have let those two...Anyways, please enjoy."

Just as Yui was about to turn back, he blurted out.

"I can't enjoy it."

"Eh? If you want, I can get you a different flavor."

"I can't enjoy it if you don't feed me in a certain way."

"Huh...? What are you talking about..."

He snickered a bit. She completely had no idea she was being toyed with. The blonde was genuinely confused as hell. Making up for not having the ideal size chest he desires, his brand new toy was pretty entertaining.

"Want me to show you?"

"Uh...Sure?"

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him as he smirked, about kiss her right on the lips when he felt a sharp glare from Kanato. "I don't want to hear those noises in your room during the weekends again!"

Irked, Ayato let go of her and faced his brother, ignoring the fazed and pale girl. He couldn't believe he just got interrupted, at the most enjoyable part at that. "Ah, shut it! It's your fault since—"

"It's yours!"

"Shut up! Let yours truly finish dammit!"

"No, you shut up!"

...

"..." Yui didn't know what in the heck happened and wondered if he was just trying to get rid of her discomfort of men like he was instructed to by Laito. After all, most men she had observed had done something similar to the action Ayato had done mere moments ago. But she also felt fear eating her up. She stood there, frozen but slightly shivering until more arguing persisted and snapped her out of it.

"You're not even supposed to be up so late!"

"The same can be said to you, you idiot!"

"Ah? What did you call yours truly?"

"Are you death? I called you an idiot!"

She inwardly laughed. Seeing them argue with each other, she thought it was cute. Her and her brothers often bickered as well.

"Hey, Pancake! What are you laughing at!"

"Pancake?" Her laughter stopped. A scowl was now presented on her face. "I told you to quit calling me that already!"

She was completely fine interacting with Ayato in spite of her fear and him calling her nicknames relating to the size of her chest. He seemed very much like Kou who would occasionally tease her about her weight since during the weekends she always sneaks down to the kitchen for a midnight snack. To this day, it was a wonder how Ruki never found out about her little eating habit.

"It's a perfect nickname yours truly thought of. You should be grateful."

"I never asked for one!"

His teasing continued on and on until Kanato chimed in, demanding for more cookies.

"I want more cookies and different flavors this time!"

And she was beyond thankful for the save though it wasn't intended to be.

"Ah...O-Okay..."

...

"Why did you have to interrupt at the good part?" Ayato turned his attention back to Kanato, glaring at his brother who just snacked on the last cookie in response.

"If that's your new toy then...you picked a terrible one. You'll get beat up really bad. Besides, aren't you supposed to cure her of her fear?"

He was focused on his own little challenge more than the task of curing the blonde's phobia. If his purple-haired spoiled brother hadn't butt in he would have stolen the blonde's first kiss but lady luck wasn't on his side today. "You're just a terrible little brother...Tch, screwing up my chance..."

"...She wasn't even interested in you anyways."

"Heh, just wait and see...She'll be heads over heels with your truly in no time."

Though, he does admit she now seems somewhat difficult to deal with.

* * *

The hangout place for lunch seemed to have switched. No longer was the usual spot table near the cafeteria, it was now relocated.

 _...Are they at that garden again?_

Ayato inwardly clicked his tongue as girls were swarming around him, squealing and asking if he wanted to "have lunch" up on the rooftop. As much as he would love to, he wasn't up for it. He already found someone to toy around with. He turned down the offers and made his way towards the school garden where he suspects his brothers and the Mukami siblings are at.

"Yuma, I'm going to start planting the seeds."

"Alright."

Seated beside his brother Laito, Ayato gazed at Yui. She was gentle and careful with the seeds, covering them up as she spoke to them. She was really into what she was doing and doubted that she knew of he was even here. It irked him. He hadn't even received a simple wave or hi from her yet.

"I don't really mind if you're going for her but if you do make her cry or break her heart you'll get seriously beat up."

"Whatever." He whistled casually, not feeling threatened one bit. But he mentally cursed Laito who had probably leaked out the information.

Across from him, Kanato was commented. "Hmph, like she'll fall for him anyway. Right Azusa?"

"...Of course she wouldn't..."

"Nfu~ That's somewhat true...After all, there is someone else she could potentially fall for~"

"Hehe~ I'm actually rooting for him."

"Ha...? Who?" He felt insulted. Who exactly was this person the idol and his brother seemed to talk about so highly of? He thought Yui wasn't good around guys.

The idol teasingly warned, keeping the person's name unknown. "Your rival of course."

"Rival? Heh, rivals aren't a bother for yours truly at all."

...

Lunch, along with fifth period, soon past. Then the last class of the day was next and was really unexpected.

Ayato never would have thought he would have a class with Yui, plus Laito, Kou and Yuma as well but most importantly Yui. Having P.E class together would be an advantage for him. But a class with Kou as well irritated the crap out of him.

"It's Kou Mukami!"

"Ah! I'm so lucky to be in this class!"

"Kya! I'm gonna faint!"

Instead of the usual girls screaming over him in the gym, they were squealing over the idol with blushes prominent on their cheeks. Seated in row call order, Ayato stared at the sight of his female classmates as well as a few male classmates swarm around Laito and Kou who were a couple of spots in front of him.

The two in front of Ayato, Yui and Yuma, scooted closer to him.

"Hey, shorty. Tell us how P.E is like here."

He was unwilling to inform them since Yuma had insulted him but did so anyways. As he explained, his green eyes wondered over to Yui, more specifically checking out her legs. Comparing her legs to her chest, he mentally commented. "...Her legs aren't that bad."

He felt an intense stare coming from Yuma and swears that it was more of a glare.

"I guess I don't mind it but...if tears come out from her cuz of you, you are so dead." Oddly enough, today the girl's brothers seemed a bit less on the defense. "Tch, that perverted brother of yours better be right about you."

"Hah...? What did Laito do?"

"You should thank him or we would have been on your case every day."

 _...Thank him for what?_ Whatever it was his brother had done or said, he was grateful since it kept Yui's brothers from threatening him.

Yui chimed in. "What are you two talking about."

Yuma shook his head. "Nothing."

With a straight face, Ayato commented. "Your legs aren't half bad."

"...Thank you, I think?...Um, are you helping me with..."

"...Yeah, sure..." Ayato snickered. Out of all the girls he ever encountered, Yui was just priceless. He was very sure of himself that vulgar thoughts never once crossed the girl's mind and wondered what does go on in that head of hers. Perhaps it was rainbows and unicorns.

As the P.E teacher entered the gym and took attendance, he heard Yuma comment.

"...Is her mind just full of rainbows and flying horses or something?"

"Pft, I wonder that too."

"Right?"

"What are you two laughing about?" Ayato and Yuma just shook their heads and laughed in unison. "Ah...You two should quiet down a bit..."

"Sakamaki Ayato, Mukami Yuma! Tone down your damn voices when I'm taking row!"

Once the teacher finished up with attendance, he announced the activity the class will be playing which turned out to be Ayato's favorite sport. He was about to join in with Laito and the Mukami siblings when the teacher called for him. "Ayato come here for a sec."

"You're in charge of them until they get used to this P.E class...also, the basketball game is this Friday remember?"

Out on the sidelines where Kou, Yuma, Yui and Laito's court was, with a tiny smile on his lips, Ayato watched as his brother shot the basketball into the hoop. Yui fetched the ball, passing it to Kou. He turned to face his couch with a confident smirk. "Heh, there's no need to remind yours truly coach. There's also practice today and tomorrow right?"

"What? The usual schedule is...oh, wait never mind. Hmm, I totally forgot."

"Don't worry coach, the greatest basketball player had your back coach."

"Shut your cocky trap you brat..."

He just stuck his tongue out in response and laughed; his basketball coach soon joined in.

...

As Ayato was conversing with the teacher, Yui was clearly able to hear their conversation. _They seem like_ _father and son._ When it was Yui's turn to shoot, she threw the basketball which then hit the rim of the hoop and headed towards the direction of Ayato and the teacher.

"Oops…," Yui muttered as she ran after the ball. "Watch out!"

"Ah! I can't look...I'm really sorry in advance Ayato." She came to an abrupt stop and hid her eyes with her hands as the ball was about to strike Ayato on the back of his head.

"Che, are you trying to kill me?"

She took her hands off her face to see Ayato a-okay, twirling the basketball with his index finger. _Ah, thank god he's okay._

"Let's go, yours truly will properly teach you how basketball works." She felt Ayato grabbed hold of her wrist and was dragged back into the court, almost like a little kid dragging their parent into a toy store. He seemed passionate about basketball and acted like a child just now. She couldn't help herself and giggle a bit. He didn't seem harmful one bit.

She watched as Ayato prepared for a shot and listened to her brothers' complaints while Laito joshed.

"When are you even going to start curing her."

"Kou is right. When the hell are ya going to start?"

"Huhu~ I wonder that too Ayato~"

"Geez, I'll start today after school! Now shut it, will you?"

She wondered if the prideful red-head could actually cure her of her fear like Laito had said he would.

...

"Amazing, Ayato is amazing..."

Outside on the school basketball courts, where the basketball team practiced, Yui marveled how impressive the red-head was. From her knowledge of listening in on the conversation Ayato and his coach had during class, the basketball team was practicing on of the many courts for Friday's basketball game. Just when the opposing team was about the score a point, Ayato stealthy snatched the ball from right under their noses.

"Hmph, I guess he is..."

"That shorty is kinda good at it..."

Yuma and Kou were reluctant to even shower the red-head with compliments, but she could tell they were both just as fascinated as she was.

"Wait a minute..." She blinked rapidly. "Where's Azusa?"

Kou answered, checking his messages. "He just arrived...at the shop."

Yuma face-palmed. "Oh crap..."

* * *

"Azusa...did you walk here by yourself?"

"...Kou, Yuma and Yui...are staying after school...for awhile."

"Those three irresponsible, careless..."

* * *

The familiar voice of the P.E teacher from her last class rang out.

"Alright, take a fifteen-minute break everyone!"

"The basketball team...is mostly full of...freshmen and...all of them are...boys?" Yui slowly questioned as she witnessed majority of the basketball players making their way towards Ayato while exclaiming his name and praising him. The elder basketball players chuckled and shook their heads.

"Don't give us that look. We already know that you're the best player."

"Heh~ What was that, could you repeat it?" From afar, she could see Ayato proud smile plastered on his lip and his green eyes lighting up in pride.

"Don't push your luck kid. You get more than one praise only after the big games."

"What? No way! Yours truly deserves more than a measly praise."

"No. Besides, the coach told us we shouldn't feed you too much praise."

"Che...unfair..."

"But Ayato is always cool!"

"Let's just all save the praises for this Friday."

She heard Kanato and Laito call out as they ran past her and her brothers.

"I made you sweets."

"There's a some takoyaki too."

Yui saw the corners of his lip tug up even further as he faced and waved at his brothers. She thought the red-head seemed to give off a different atmosphere around his basketball team and brothers. Though she didn't know what he truly is like, he seemed like himself, so carefree and easygoing like a jokester. When she caught him staring at her and her brothers, mischief came into play and swirled around in his green eyes.

A triumphant smirk mixed with cockiness now replaced his grin.

"Hey, I need a freshman to come with me for a sec." She heard Ayato say as he grabbed one of the freshmen in his team and headed towards her.

"Ah, w-wait a-a second," she stuttered, trembling and braced herself for whatever Ayato was about to pull.

"This if the first lesson. Hurry up and introduce yourself Pancake." Yui gawked at him, disregarding his nickname for her with mouth agape in shock as he pushed the confused freshman in front of her. Could he not tell she was shaking like hell right now? She tried to utter out her name but only silence came from her mouth until Ayato provoked.

"Now now Pancake. You shouldn't be afraid of someone younger than you, right Pancake? Especially with this cute freshmen."

"I'm not!" She screeched at the red-head, gulped down some saliva and faced the freshman. "N-Nice to m-meet you! I'm Y-Yui Mukami—"

She heard him grumble in disapproval. "What's with that stuttering? Redo!"

This strategy of his seemed really helpful. She wondered if it would stop her from stuttering in front of men once and for all. She heavily breathed in and tried introducing herself again without stuttering. "I'm Yui—"

"Redo!"

She blinked her eyes, wondering what was wrong and furrowed her brows in displeasure because of his interruption. "Please don't interrupt me!"

"I was helping! You were about to stutter that that time."

She mumbled. "I was not..."

"You totally were."

"Hmph! Please be quiet and let concentrate!"

"Concentrate? You don't even need that crap for this!"

Kou and Yuma chimed in as well, agreeing with Ayato that concentration wasn't needed.

"W-Well, I need it!"

* * *

"Hey, Ayato." On his desk were school papers and a laptop blasting music. Laito intruded his bedroom and made himself nice and comfy on his bed while he was working on homework. "You know she's not romantically interested in you one bit."

"Kanato and now you? Give me some encouragement instead, geez."

"Then, what if you don't make it in a week? What will you do?"

"I'll just take my sweet time with her and set the record for the most heartrending breakup she ever had."

"Is that so..." His brother drawled to which he nodded in response. His brother seemed uninterested but he detected a slight menace in his tone. He shuddered. _Scary._ "What's your next lesson for her tomorrow?"

Ayato thought back to the morning Kanato ruined his chance of landing a kiss on the girl. Her face had been pale white, frozen, but trembling in fright as well. "...Self-defense."

He heard the rustle of bed sheets and the creaking of his bed as Laito got off. "Alright, I'll take my leave—"

"Wait." Ayato swirled his black computer chair to face Laito's back who was just about to head out the doorway. He had so many questions he wanted to ask him. How he met the Mukami siblings, when he met them. He had so many questions for Laito.

"What is it?"

"That girl...What happened to her in the past?" But he settled for one, concerning Yui.

"I can't tell you, but..." Laito turned around, teasing smile took form. "How about her bra size? Or what color her undergarments are—Oh wait, I can't tell you that either."

"What? No way! You told her embarrassing stories about me so you have to tell yours truly something about her."

"Alright, alright...Hmm, embarrassing stories...let me think..."

* * *

Ayato's first lesson did help Yui out; she stuttered less around his coach and basketball team.

"I want to sleep..." Yui yawned as she scribbled down the solution to a math problem.

Ruki and Yuma were in the kitchen, washing the dishes. In the living room, lazing around on the couch, Kou was scrolling through all his social media sites on his phone. She, along with Azusa, was seated on the ground with legs sprawled out under the coffee table, finishing up homework.

"Yui! Subaru adopted a kitten and a puppy a few hours ago," Kou exclaimed, shoving his phone in Yui's face.

"Let me finish—Aw...Adorable..."

A white Persian with green eyes was nuzzled up against a white husky with blue eyes.

"And he's going to visit us during Thanksgiving break with his pets."

From the kitchen, Yuma chortled. "Did you blackmail him to visit or something?"

"Rude." Kou dragged out the "u" sound in rude. "I'm his best friend ya know."

She took his brother's phone and scrolled through more pictures of the kitten and puppy, squealing in awe at each photo she laid eyes on. "Is he really going to visit us with his new pets?"

"Uh huh~"

"I can't wait!"

"Me too~"

She heard Yuma comment while Azusa and Ruki joined in afterward. "...Aren't you two just excited to see the kitten and puppy?"

"I...agree with...Yuma..."

"You two should be more happy in seeing Subaru, not his new pets."

"Ah haha, you're right." She was totally happy a friend of theirs was going to visit soon, truly. But she couldn't wait to meet his new kitten and puppy as well.


	5. Challenged Delayed

**Challenge Delayed**

* * *

"Ngh...Hmm...that smells good..." Ayato groggily shifted around under the heavy but warm confinement known as his blanket.

He shoved the blanket aside and sluggishly sat up, breathing in the mouthwatering scent of breakfast. Everyone dreads school days and having to wake the hell up early in the morning but it seemed today wouldn't be so bad. This time around, breakfast wasn't that sugary odor like he usually smells in the morning. His mouth was slightly agape with drool trickle down from the corner of his lips.

 _Visitors again?_ He heard voices coming from downstairs, the living room. He didn't hear Laito's, Kou's or Ruki's voice, just Azusa's, Kanato's, Yuma's and Yui's.

"...Kanato...that's a lot...of sugar cubes..."

"What are you talking about? That's not a lot. Besides, it'll taste better with more."

"Sugar cubes by itself are already delicious."

"I-I'm fine Kanato, I don't want any sugar cubes."

After morning procedure of washing his face, brushing his teeth and changing clothes, he trudged downstairs to the heavenly scent of true breakfast food.

"What's for breakfast—" His eyes instantly landed on pancakes, bacon and eggs. Though it wasn't really fancy breakfast food, at least it wasn't the usual sugary breakfast hell. He sat next to Yui who was finishing up a few math problems and stuffed his face with pancakes. Thankfully maple syrup hadn't covered his pancakes or plate; he would have skipped today's breakfast if there was. "Finally you freaking made something different!"

On the sofa, behind him, was Kanato with hot chocolate with loads of sugar cubes. "I didn't make breakfast today."

"Oh, takeout food?" His brother shook his head. "Then who made it?"

"Yui."

He was truly surprised and grateful but didn't express it. He degraded her cooking instead of thanking her for rescuing him from sugar hell and praising her delicious cooking, telling her his false opinion of her cooking.

"Oh. Your cooking is okay but I know plenty of girls better than your."

She was scribbling down math calculations as she answered him. "I know. Even Ruki's cooking is far better than mines but I'll practice and get a lot better."

 _What..._ What struck him odd was how she wasn't really affected by what he said about her cooking. She even freaking agreed with him! He had done that to plenty of girls he had played around with, saying things like how another girl was better than them at something.

"Heh, sure you will—" Ayato felt Kanato place his feet on his back, then pushed him forward with much force, which almost made him face plant on his plate of food, and released his feet off Ayato's back.

"Her cooking is the best! Especially her sweets! Have you even tried the hot chocolate yet?"

"Ruki is far better than I am. His hot chocolate is the best! He serves them a lot in the shop during the cold seasons." Ayato gentle smacked his back a couple of times and watched as Yui conversed with Kanato. "You should come over to our shop today after school and try one."

"I'll come. What other sweets are you familiar with?"

"I love sweet snacks."

She didn't even stutter around Kanato when she spoke or perhaps she didn't stutter because they were talking about sweet but anyhow, she seemed she was able to talk to his brothers without any stuttering. Though, he wasn't sure about Laito. Anyways, where was he?

He felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his dark blue jeans.

 **NumberOnePervert: I'm helping out in the Mukami's shop right now.**

 **NumberOnePervert: Heeeeyyyyy! Do you see my message?**

 **NumberOnePervert: Heeelllloooo? Text me back if you got it.**

 **NumberOnePervert: Heeeeyyyy! I'm going to spam you until you answer.**

 **NumberOnePervert: Heellloooooooo! Heeeeeeyyyy!**

He quickly texted back, saying he saw the message already.

Once the coffee table was crowded with empty cups and plates, some with remnants of hot chocolate and food left over, Azusa offered to clean up with the help of Yuma. Kanato and Yui were still enthusiastically chattering about sweets. The two got along just fine.

"..." As the two chattered on and on about sweet goodies, Ayato scanned over the blonde's math homework, which was a front and back worksheet, pointed out her mistakes. "...Your calculations are all wrong and all your answers are off by a few numbers on the back page."

"What?" She turned around to erased her calculations and answers then redid the back page. "...Maybe I shouldn't have rushed."

Ayato entered Yui's personal space, his mouth positioned close to the girl's ear without her noticing. He silently breathed in, about to spook her with a puff of warm breath, but then he felt the back part of someone's foot pressing against his temple and got pushed hard, resulting him in coming in contact with the solid coffee table. "Ow!"

"What happened? Are you okay Ayato?" Smooth hands contacted his skin, one placed on his cheek while another placed on his aching temple. Her lips set in a frown, pink eyes glistened with fret and scanned over his small injury.

"I-I'm...okay!" His eyes dilated and his voice cracked a tad, pitch going higher than the usual. His cheeks were blooming in light red hue. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her away from him, losing her, surprisingly soothing, touch.

"But your—"

"Yui! Azusa's got really burned by hot water!"

"Azusa! Don't—" In a panic, the blonde rushed off into the kitchen.

"..." Ayato tightly shut his eyes and ruffled his hair, heavily inhaling and exhaling. He didn't expect the blonde to do that. Sure he had had girls stare at him and touch him before, but it was always in a sensual way; he was used to that.

"Pft, ka aha ha!" His heart was still pumping from the incident while Kanato was laughing his ass off on the sofa, clutching his stomach. "S-She's the best! I hope you're the one who's getting your heart broken!"

"Shut up! I'm heading off to school first!"

* * *

"How come Ayato isn't here today?" Yui questioned, showering water on the buried seeds with a watering can. "Hey Kanato, is Ayato okay from this morning?"

Laito and Kou didn't come to school today. She was informed by Kou that they were shooting a few scenes for a movie. Azusa, Yuma, and Kanato was present but Ayato wasn't around for lunch today which made her wonder if he was alright.

Kanato nodded. "He's playing basketball right now."

...

"You sure have a lot of fans...especially girls."

"Ayato is the best basketball player in the school after all!"

"That's right! Ayato is awesome!"

Ayato smirked triumphantly and shot the ball into the hoop; he was shooting hoops with some of his basketball mates. "Juniors and seniors be more like freshmen."

"In your dreams kid."

He let out a proud huff. "Then, let's make a deal. If I win this game, juniors and senior have to be more like the freshman for a day. And if you all win, I'll make food for the whole basketball team."

"Alright, deal!"

"Heh, be prepared to loose against yours truly!" He warned his basketball friends, confident he would prevail. "Now, let's go!"

The game started off and soon cheering from all around took place. Even those on other basketball courts stopped to watch and cheer. He heard plenty of girls cheering him on as he scored a point. He kept on scoring and scoring one after another, the continuous cycle of the basketball being shot into the hoop.

"...don't you think so to Yuma?"

"...asking me?"

"...yesterday after school."

"...whatever, he's really amazing."

"...your brother...is awesome...Kanato."

"Not really but he's really a terrible brother." _Bitch, what?_ His scoring streak was cut when he heard Kanato comment. _How dare he—You have to to be screwing with me here..._

Not only did he spot Kanato, he also saw Azusa, Yuma, and Yui. He thought they would be at the garden which was why he wasn't in the garden for lunch today. He was indeed trying to avoid Yui for the day. He felt he would be blushing like an idiot if he went anywhere near her today. Though right now he wasn't blushing like he thought he would, the incident still lingered in his mind, her voice, pink eyes with worry, soothing touch.

 _Damn it, why did she have to get all worried about me this morning._

He snapped out of it, about to get back into the game when the damn bell rang. _Crap...I forgot today's an early day._ His basketball ball friends hoorayed in triumph as they were the ones who won the match. He didn't want to make them food but, though he would never admit out loud, his cooking wasn't all that great.

"The food has to be extremely delicious."

"First rate food!"

"It can't be crappy cooking."

"What? No way." He argued back. "And are you insulting yours truly's cooking here?"

 _Argh, it's all Pancake's fault._

 _..._

"Okay, raise your hand or say something when I call your name." When P.E class came by, a substitute teacher took over the class. Chatter resumed when the substitute started taking attendance, calling out first and last names. "Also, your teacher will be back tomorrow."

As the substitute continued taking attendance, Ayato noticed Laito and Kou were missing.

Yuma, noticing Ayato's befuddled expression, announced. "They'll be back tomorrow."

Once attendance was finished, the sub announced the class could do whatever they wanted but sit down or use their phones. Some stayed in the gym, walking or shooting hoops while others went out for badminton, volleyball or tennis. Ayato didn't want to play basketball. Well, he wanted to but not without Laito and with so many girls wanting to play with him. So instead of basketball, he walked around the gym with Yuma and Yui.

Yuma questioned him. "You're walking instead of basketball?"

Ayato was in the middle. He had forced himself between Yuma and Yui, not wanting to be dragged into a game of basketball by the girls. "There's no way I'll shoot hoops with the girls. They get too clingy with me."

Yui chirped in. "The girls sound like they really love playing basketball with you...Why are you glaring at me?"

He still held a bit of grudge on her since she messed him up during lunch and commented to which Yuma snorted at. "...I wonder what's in your mind right now. Unicorns, rainbows and sweets?"

Yui responded. "Ah, it's mostly sweets."

"Then, how about things like sexual—"

Yuma interjected, tone threatening as hell. "She's not like other girls you screwed around with."

"Geez, I was just asking."

In all honestly, he will be screwing around with the blonde. But she still wasn't romantically interested in him yet. He wondered just how long it would take with Yui. From his experience, other hard-to-get girls took a month. With the Yui's mindset, he now wasn't very certain if he could make it within a week and thought over the blonde's fear.

 _Che, I'll have to focus on her fear._

He postponed his challenge, planning to solemnly cure the girl's fear first.

...

"Azusa, Kanato, don't get too ahead of us!"

Yui called out to the two first years about five blocks ahead to which the duo turned back and waved in response, signaling they heard her. But then they turned back around and continue on ahead. Yuma volunteered to watch over them.

"They can take care of themselves," Ayato commented, remembering a time when Kanato had bit him somewhere on his forearm because he didn't buy the correct cake Kanato had requested.

Yuma snorted. "Yeah, but you don't have a big brother named Ruki."

With that, the tall one took off after Azusa and Kanato.

"Are you okay from this morning?"

He nodded his head, walking beside Yui. He had gotten over the little incident this morning. Though he still blamed her for messing him up during the basketball game at lunch even though it was done unintentionally. And it doesn't change the fact he had to make food for his team.

"When do you freeze up around guys?" Noticing her befuddled expression from his peripheral visions, he added. "Hey, hey! Yours truly is in charge of curing you, remember? Don't forget that!"

"I know, I know!" He scowled to himself as the blonde laughed softly. "...It's usually when they try to touch me inappropriately...But it doesn't happen that much anymore."

She sounded distant and wondered if she was dwelling on the past. From experience, he knew it wasn't fun to be reminded of the past. To him, it was painful. But the blonde looked just fine.

"That's good, besides no one would be interested in you."

"Are you talking about my chest size again?" She exclaimed.

He chuckled, glad to know she was on the same page as him. "No duh, what else would I be talking about?"

* * *

"I can't believe it..." Yui mumbled.

"Man...I thought we would get a lecture-free day from him today."

"Che, what's wrong with just hanging around with yours truly."

In the resting room, Yui, along with Yuma and Ayato, was "grounded". Well, to her she felt Ruki was grounding them. She wasn't able to help out around the shop like she had anticipated. She was lying on the couch while both Ayato and Yuma were leaning against it. Three cups of warm, one with sugar cubes, one with marshmallows and one with no toppings.

"Ayato, don't you have practice?" Yui sat up, picked up the cup with marshmallows and took a sip.

"No, coach canceled today."

Yuma joined in, taking the cup with sugar cubes. "Then how about another lesson for Yui. You didn't forget about it right?"

"Of course not." Ayato took the last cup. "Unlike someone sitting on the couch over here."

Yui argued back. "I never forgot!"

The red-head stuck his tongue out at her to which she scowled at.

...

The TV was on; Yui was catching up on a cartoon on Netflix. She was watching along with Azusa and Kou while Ruki and Yuma were preparing dinner. She tried to shush Kou who was video chatting with someone over the phone since he already caught up with the cartoon.

"Kou, please keep it down!"

"I'll...turn up...the volume."

Azusa was about to reach out for the remote on the table but it wasn't there; the TV was muted. "This Friday night? Can't you be specific on the time here!"

Peeved that the TV was put on silence, Yui and Azusa exclaimed. "Kou!"

"What? It's important!" Kou fiddled with his phone, putting it on speaker.

"Tch, why are you talking as if I live so far away."

Yui lit up in glee and sandwiched Kou with Azusa's help. The person Kou had been chatting with had red eyes and silver-white hair bangs covering the right eye. "Subaru, you're arriving this Friday? With your cat and dog too right?"

The white haired male had puzzled expression. "...Yui? Wow...you didn't stutter this time."

She smiled in response, sending him a small wave. She met him since the last year of elementary school and even up to now, she is still sort of unable to normally talk to him like she does with her brothers.

Kou interrupted. "The time! The time Subaru! What time will you be here by?"

Azusa and Yui joined in.

"...what time...Subaru? We...can all have dinner together..."

"Ah, Azusa's right. Tell us the time so we can prepare dinner at the right time."

The male responded, seemingly having an urge to face-palm. "Tch, how am I even able to be specific on the time...maybe around seven."

The trio all whined, complaining simultaneously. "Eh! You can't—"

"You three. What is with all the noise."

Subaru questioned. "Ruki? Hi—"

Ruki swiftly stole the phone away from Kou. "Subaru? Why didn't you respond to my message about your arrival? You have to tell me so—"

Beep...

Kou optimistically reasoned. "We can all bully him when he visits us~"

Ruki sighed. "You're right. Anyways, dinner is finished."

"Yay~ It smells delicious as always Ruki~" As Kou chimed and followed Ruki into the kitchen with Azusa, Yui felt her phone vibrate on the armrest. She turned her phone on to see a message, the first text message from the red-head, she got from Ayato and inwardly laughed to herself when she read it.

 **Ayato: Why didn't you tell me you were able to slap hard for the lesson today?!**

She sent him a laughing emoji which had tears streaming down and a message saying that he never bothered to ask in the first place. Then she promptly received an angry emoji from him.

 **Ayato: Are you blaming yours truly right now?**

"Yui, there's dessert today." Ruki informed as she sent the red-head a emoji that had a tongue stuck out. The lesson from him today was self-defense; he had taught her moves to defend herself. Though he had been a bit rude towards her today, like usual, she enjoyed his company and help. "It's sugar cubes."

"Wow~ The decorations on them are amazing."

"...Pretty..."

"Let's just eat them already!"

"Don't hog the sugar cubes Yuma!" Yui shot up from her seat but before dashing off into the kitchen, she texted Ayato back.

* * *

 **Yui: I'm going to eat dinner now.**

 **Ayato: K.**

"Shut up and get out of my room!"

"Pfft, aha ha!" Ayato was seated at the top end of his bed, against the wall, with his back leaning against a pillow for comfort. He scowled at Kanato who was flailing around on the bed and laughing his ass off, making the bed shake like a mini earthquake. His other brother was swirling around on the computer chair, suppressing a laugh.

"Pfft...Little Bitch is best!"

"Aha haha haha!"

"Shut up already!" Annoyed at Kanato's laughing and the quake he was making on the bed, Ayato grabbed his pillow and chucked it at the purple-head. Laughter just continued on and on. He commented, rolling his eyes in irritation. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be making dinner."

Laughter kept strong, leaving Laito to reply.

"We ordered pizza for tonight...Hue hue~ She got you really good didn't she..."

"..."

"Haha aha ha...Pfft aha ha!"

Someone, by the name of Yuma, had videoed the lesson he had with Yui which somehow got sent to Laito and Kanato. Today he had taught Yui some self-defense moves and it turned out that slapping was the best tactic for the blonde.

"What—Don't play that video dammit!"

As if torturing him wasn't enough, Laito played the video on the phone causing Kanato to laugh even louder.

* * *

"Bring a bag of clothes with you Subaru." A mother with red eyes and white silvery long hair styled in a bun suggested. The mother placed a bag on the floor against the end of her son's bed.

Seated in the middle of the bed in a criss-cross apple sauce position, the son nodded. "Alright...but I think I'll need it though. You sure you're not going to visit them too mom?"

The mother shook her head, chuckling a bit.

"Subaru, a visit is a sleepover to them. Haven't you learned that already?"

* * *

 **Merry Christmas Everyone!**


	6. Subaru

**Subaru**

* * *

An unusual wide bright smile was glued on Ayato's lips, though it was morning, as he walked with Kanato to the Mukami's shop where Laito was at. Morning was cold as usual but Ayato didn't mind because for the love of Takoyaki, it was finally Friday, the start of Thanksgiving break. No, not really. To him today was like the start of Thanksgiving break.

Kanato made a face, disgusted by Ayato. "It's creepy seeing you smile like that."

"You—Why don't you shut up!" Ayato tried to softly, no not really, punch his brother on the shoulder. He was just so darn happy today was because of the basketball game tonight. Usually whenever a basketball game takes place he would get psyched up throughout that whole day. "You and Laito are coming to the game right?"

"Mm hmm."

"You should keep you eyes on yours truly...I'll the one scoring...best..." Ayato kept on going on and on about him being the best and all that, not realizing his brother wasn't really paying attention. His brother was just nodding his head unenthusiastically. The sidewalk wasn't really busy in the morning so he wasn't watching where he was going as he rambled on about himself and bumped into someone. "Crap—"

"You almost made me drop them Ayato..." He heard Yui say as she clutched the two boxes protectively close to her. The boxes were pink with red roses designed on all six sides, emitting a very sweet scent, the scent of hell to him. "...but it's a good thing I bumped into you."

Smiling, the blonde handed the boxes to him and explained. "It's from Ruki. He says thanks for taking care of me."

"...Uh...Thanks, but I'm not going to eat it though." He handed the box to Kanato whose eyes brightened up and took the boxes in his arm with care as if it was something extremely fragile.

The blonde giggled a bit at Kanato's love for sweets and joined them on their walk. She was beside him while Kanato was on the other side of him. "Takoyaki is your favorite right? Laito told me Takoyaki was your favorite."

Ayato wasn't so surprised. He felt like Laito just loved to gossip about him with the Mukami sibling.

"How come he rarely ever tells me anything about them." He mentally grumbled to himself, nodding to the blonde in response to her question, then went on about his favorite snack. It seemed that she and Laito were pretty close, considering she still somewhat stutters around him. "Sweets are good once in awhile but Takoyaki is the best for yours truly."

Kanato joined in. "Hey, will you be at watching Ayato's basketball game tonight?"

Yui cheerfully exclaimed. "It's a home game, right? Of course I will be going, and Yuma will too."

...

"Wah! You surprised us all~ You're here so early Subaru."

When Yui entered the shop, she was surprised to see a familiar face; phrases such as "long time no see" and "finally you came for a visit" were thrown around. Kou, Laito, Yuma were crowded around a silvery white haired male while he ruffled Azusa's hair. Everybody as happy to see him, especially Azusa.

"Subaru, it's g-good t-to see you." She had a cheery smile on her face though her stuttering wasn't completely gone yet. Promptly after her greeting, her cheeks bloomed into the hue of red. She had been so confident she would be able to at least greet a friend of hers normally but that wasn't happening anytime soon.

The white haired male nodded back to her in greetings. "The kitten and puppy are at your house by the way."

She and her siblings knew Subaru ever since sometime around elementary. In the past, he often got into fights with those who bullied Azusa which always resulted in him getting suspended for a week or a few days depending on how bad the beating was. So Subaru and Azusa were pretty close.

And though Yui was also protective over Azusa, she would never get into fights—Yuma, Kou, and Ruki too. Actually...those three had always scared off Azusa's bullies with their death glares as all she could do was comfort Azusa.

"I can't wait to see t-them." _Gah_ _...Again? I was so close on not stuttering that time too!_ She had been fine with talking with him over the phone but not in person it seems. My god...she just wanted to go dig herself a hole right now. "S-Sorry for stuttering Subaru..."

Subaru shook his head. "Why are you apologizing for that? You don't have to apologize!"

The kitchen double swing doors swung open. "We can all catch up next week since it'll be Thanksgiving break. Kou, Yuma wipe the tables and counter tops, Azusa, Laito, help me out in the kitchen."

With that said, Ruki went back to his work as the four gave an okay simultaneously and started their tasks.

Subaru turned his attention to the double kitchen doors and shouted, offering his help. "Hey Ruki! Do you want my help too?"

"No, it's okay."

Subaru turned back to Yui, then gave her a questioning look. "...Who are those two behind you?"

Yui blinked. It took Yui a couple of moments before she remembered Kanato and Ayato were also with her. "Subaru, l-let me introduce you to—"

Surprisingly to her Kanato interrupted. He had a displeased expression on him, like he didn't take a liking to Subaru and was scowling at the floor. She wondered what was troubling the boy. "Ayato has to practice with the basketball team so we'll go on ahead to school first."

"Wait..." Before she could stop them from heading out the door, they were already outside. "...U-Um...the one with the red hair is Ayato a-and the one with purple hair is his brother, Kanato."

"Oh..."

She heard Yuma thinking out loud. "...Basketball practice? That early...? Hey Ruki! I'm heading to school now!"

Yui tagged in. "Ah! Me too Ruki!"

"Clean up the tables first!"

...

As the Yuma and Yui were quickly trying to finish wiping down the tables clean, Kou was leisurely polishing the counter tops in the cashier area while chatting with Subaru who was seated on a stool.

"You really like her don't ya~" Kou teased his best friend, whose cheeks turned a light red hue in response. Every now and then he caught his bestie peeking over at Yui's direction.

"Tch...i-it's not in a romantic w-way or anything l-like that!"

"Eh~" He drawled out. He loved to tease this guy. "I never said anything about romance."

Kou knew fully well the silvery white haired male indeed liked Yui on a romantic level—which he fully supports. His ship would sail no matter what. Ayato, that red haired bastard, was not going to interfere with it.

"...Kah...You annoy me!"

"Yui and Subaru sitting in the tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g!" He spelled out the word kissing rather loudly, earning curious looks from Yui and Yuma while Subaru's face turned a darker shade of red. "First comes love—"

"Shut your damn mouth!"

...

"Hey! I don't have practice!" Ayato didn't know what was up with the purple-haired boy but for sure knew that he was more sour than usual. Ayato was familiar with this kind of behavior from his little brother. This had happened tons of times in the past before. Whenever he and Laito would both be out of the house, Kanato would always be left alone at home. When the first month of this year had come by, Laito started a system where at least one of them should be at home as well so Kanato wouldn't get bitter or lonely.

"..."

"Che...Hey, wait up!" Kanato was up ahead, walking at a faster pace than him, and having heard Ayato call out, he stopped walking. Ayato caught up to Kanato, picked him up and seated him on his shoulders. With Kanato on his shoulders, he continued on the road.

"...I don't like him." Kanato explained, pulling on Ayato's hair.

"You just met him." It wasn't his business but he was curious why Kanato didn't like the guy. Plus he wasn't a terrible brother, just to get that point across. He was the best brother in the whole wide world, which is what he believes.

"Azusa was talking about him all day yesterday. It was annoying."

After that was said, Ayato figured it out. He burst out into laughter. "Pfft haha—Don't pull my hair so hard!"

Growing up, his little brother didn't have many friends—trustworthy ones. Ayato was certain most of his brother's "friends" had been girls who just had the intention of going after him or Laito. It was then around middle-school his brother had found a great friend, Azusa Mukami. Though his brother never really mentioned him about Azusa, he figured Azusa was a best friend or something like that.

"Then tell me what's so laughable!"

"Quit being a jealous bastard!"

"Jealous? Don't say that!"

"Gah! Stop that dammit!"His hair got pulled on more, making him stop walking as he struggled to get his brother's hands away from his hair and hear running from behind.

"Ah, thank god we caught up."

"What basketball team even practices in the morning?"

Ayato turned around to face Yui, who was out of air from the running, and Yuma with a smug look on his face which he raised a brow at. "What's with—"

"Get me off!"

"Che...and to think yours truly was thinking of cheering you up..." He grumbled as set Kanato onto the ground and as soon as his brother was off his shoulders, the purple haired boy quickly ran on ahead. "Bastard, get back here!"

"Ah...I'll look after him." Yui offered.

After the blonde went after his sour brother, he heard a chortle from Yuma and faced him. "What's so funny?"

"There's no way you have basketball practice this early so why did you two leave so early?"

"Kanato was the one who wanted to leave." He got even more weirded out by that smug expression.

"Hah...? So...it wasn't cuz you were jealous...?"

"Yours truly jealous?" Ayato scoffed. "Of what?"

...

"Maybe we should slow down and wait for those two." Yui suggested.

"..."

 _Does he really not like Subaru..._ _or maybe it's something else._ She thought long and hard, thinking up of all the possibilities for the boy's sour mood. But she didn't want to question him and make his mood sourer so she just spouted out random things. As she trailed behind Kanato, she brought up random topics such as the school, weather, hobbies, small talk. It wasn't working out much. All she got back in response was silence.

"I really like the weather today. Do you Kanato?"

"..."

"I'm excited about the basketball game tonight. How about you Kanato?"

"..."

Yui inwardly sighed, feeling disheartened. She couldn't even get him to peep out a single word. In spite of that, she kept on talking. Whatever she brought up, Kanato didn't reply until she mentioned Azusa.

"I think Azusa is going to the basketball game too."

"...Hmph, like I care."

Now she was on to something. Yesterday Azusa had been telling Kanato all about Subaru coming for a visit. It seemed to her the purple haired boy was envious of Azusa's and Subaru's friendship.

"...Now that I think about it, Azusa is going to the game too. How about you Kanato?"

Not counting siblings or Subaru, Azusa's first friend was Kanato. To Yui, the two seemed like they were besties. Azusa had never been really successful in making friends. All that had resulted in him attempting would be bullying so she had been very surprised, suspicious and protective too, when Azusa had excitedly informed her he made a friend.

"...No."

"Really? Azusa would be sad to hear that."

But one day her suspicious and worry all went out the window when she had stalked Azusa, who had been on a play-date with Kanato, with Yuma. She, Yuma as well, sort of met Kanato that day but not really because she had Yuma had been dressed up in a bear suit and bunny suit to match the carnival environment in order to watch over their brother more closely. Also...they had both almost got police on their tails on that day.

"I don't care."

Yui got upset and stood still. The sourpuss kept on walking at a slower pace this time.

"Azusa...Azusa was really happy when he told me about you. Don't have to be so envious! That's ridiculous!" Her voice was raised, scolding the sourpuss. When Kanato turned around to face her, she saw him sniffling, starting to tear up. Baffled, she sputtered on about the carnival memory. "R-Remember that one time at the carnival? Was that your first time Kanato? That was Azusa's first carnival... You guys really had tons of fun right...?"

"Carnival? How..." His tears were cleared out, no more sniffling. Yui received a questioning look from him.

She made the wrong move; if there was snow deep enough for her to dig herself a hole, she would have probably done that by now.

"Um...please forget that I said anything about a carnival...Please?"

"...Were you that bunny?" Ashamed, Yui nodded. "...and the bear?"

"That was Yuma."

She heard laughter from him.

She felt terrible for thinking this, but she wished Kanato was sobbing his eyes out instead of laughing.

But this was okay. He wasn't so sour anymore. The corners of her mouth lifted.

"You remember right?"

"Azusa and I almost called the police on you two that day."

"Thank god you two didn't."

She reminisced with Kanato as they both turned back towards Yuma's and Ayato's direction.

...

"But it's obvious she has no interest in him!"

Though Ayato put off his challenge, he was now well versed that the white haired male known as Subaru could be an interference—a threat, to his challenge.

Yuma shrugged. "It could happen."

"She still stutters around him right?"

"Yeah but you don't know her that well like he does. Besides, she just sees you as a new friend." It irked him to say that Yuma was correct, spot on.

"Che, why did you tell me anyway?"

Yuma shrugged again. "Laito leaks a lot of stories about you ya know?"

He wasn't surprised. He was curious.

"What has he—"

Coincidentally, he heard Laito's voice.

"Where are Kanato and Little bitch?"

"...Ah...I see...them."

Hearing shoes thumping against concrete ground and coming to a stop, Ayato met the sight of Yui and Kanato shivering from their run. Their cheeks and nose were light red. Running in the morning, especially on cold seasons or days, seemed like a terrible idea to him.

"I'm tired. You have to give me a ride now Ayato!" His little brother was back to his usual self, normal grouchiness level.

Ayato huffed in reluctance yet he sat Kanato on his shoulders anyway.

Yui questioned. "Where's Kou?"

"...He has...idol work...with Subaru today..."

Pfft, he totally wasn't worried or concerned Subaru could, potentially, ruin his game. Totally not...feeling threatened by Subaru. Certainly not...

 _Gah! Why did he have to enter the picture...maybe I should forget about this stupid challenge._

* * *

Classes had passed by quickly for Ayato. Of course basketball had been on his mind, as well as a certain white haired male by the name of Subaru who may pose as a threat in his small quest, throughout most of his classes.

"Told you yours truly was going to make most of the shots." Ayato said with pride, putting on his black t-shirt and jeans. "Now, where are all my praises?"

The basketball game had ended; the basketball team were changing in the locker room. Today's game wasn't much of a challenge, though Ayato didn't mind. Whether it was or wasn't or whether his team or the opposing team lost, basketball games were refreshing to him.

"Yeah, yeah whatever! Ayato is the best."

"Ayato is the best in the whole wide world!"

"Yep, the best player. All hail the only sophomore in the team—I'm being sarcastic here!"

Underclassmen applauded in zest while his upperclassmen threw out compliments with much sarcasm. He just laughed at the sarcasm the juniors and seniors threw around as he was seated on the bench with his jacket around his neck. He was cool with it. His teammates and the coach were delightful people to be around with.

"Hey Ayato, hurry up and tell the freshmen how terrible you're shooting was!"

"Right! He was even more cockier his freshman year!"

"I'll tell them all the stories if you don't want to."

"Che, shut up! I tell them myself!"

"Eh! Is that really truly Ayato?"

"I don't believe one bit!"

He was intending on staying in the locker room just the chat with his teammates a bit more and actually tell the freshen about his failures but that wasn't going to happen as he heard Kanato loudly scream from outside. "Ayato, hurry up in there! I want to go home and eat already!"

"See ya," He said as he got off the bench and sprinted, heading for the exit.

"Don't forget that food!"

"Yeah, you owe everyone food!"

"And you better tell them the stories!"

He hollered back to his teammates. "I will! Also, I'll cook the best Takoyaki you ever tasted!"

"No way! We never asked for Takoyaki!"

"But that's your favorite food!"

"Make something else!"

They all shouted back complaints which he ignored. He knew he was going to get text messages from them anyhow.

...

Out in the chilly night Ayato and his brothers were walking home from school. A couple of female classmates he knew tagged along as well which left Kanato to walk ahead of them as he flirted with the girls while Laito, surprisingly, wasn't and just eavesdropped.

"Hey, Ayato~ You were really cool during that game."

Usually Laito would flirt with just about any girl he sees. His brother didn't have an ideal or a type and would just flirt and play around so Laito not having any urge to flirt right now kind of astonished Ayato.

"Yep~ You were really hot out there~"

"Thanks, you two are really hot right now."

He wasn't really being honest here but he ended up buttering them up with that compliment, making their cheeks red anyway. The two noirettes, black haired girls were heavy on the makeup and wore somewhat revealing clothes though it was pretty cold right now.

"The girl you're in love with wouldn't be happy to hear you flirting with other girls Ayato."

The two girls both gasped, horrified and in disbelief.

"Who's the girl?"

"You're not really in love with anyone right?"

Before he could respond or anything, it just so happened that the girls' made a silent agreement to each other, which he witnessed, to go home. "It's pretty dark right now."

 _Che, like you just now noticed?_

"We'll be heading back home now. Bye~"

"What fuck was that? I'm not even, ugh—What fuck Laito!" He was actually thinking about changing his target from Yui to those two girls. It looked to him the black haired girls seemed to be best friends. He thought that would be much more satisfying than the challenge of toying with Yui.

"Fufu~ Don't be so angry." His brother gave him a playful grin which then swiftly flashed into poker face. "Hey Ayato, are bored of Yui already?"

"Shouldn't you already know the answer to that question?"

"Ayato." With that serious expression on Laito, Ayato feels like he just might pee in his pants at the moment. His brother shook his head from left to right, a teasing smirk forming on his lips. "Nfu~ Why? Are scared of Subaru? Is it too...difficult for you? After all, you've never gone after girls who aren't interested in you, right? And Yui only thinks of you as a friend you know."

"Just watch Laito! She'll fall really hard for yours truly!" Laito had provoked him and damn did he do a good job of it. "Now, let's catch up to—"

 _Ding._

 **SweetsManiac: I'm already at home.**

 **SweetsManiac: Btw, Yui gave you a box of Takoyaki and I'm eating some right now.**

"Hey Laito, let's run home already!"

As Ayato rushed back home for the sake of Takoyaki, he didn't catch what Laito had said.

"Yui will be a perfect match for you Ayato. Nfu~ I ship it~"

* * *

 **I hope you all will have a fabulous and wonderful 2017!**


	7. Blanket

**Blanket**

* * *

So a few days had past when Ayato, very confidently and with much pride, proclaimed he will most definitely make Yui fall madly in love with him and all that but those past few days he hasn't even really been trying. He didn't make any plans to met up with her or conversed with her. Hell he didn't even thank her for the Takoyaki that Friday night.

"Dam it, why do I keep dying!" Here he was, in the living room, butt stuck on the sofa, playing a video game on the Xbox 360. The volume was turned up pretty high, which he didn't care, so no doubt his brothers were able to hear gun fires and such.

Laito's groggy voice was heard. "As always, you're up early whenever there isn't school...Huh? Where are you going Kanato?"

"I'm going somewhere."

"Mukami's shop?"

"No."

Ayato, listening on to their conversation, joined in. "A game store?"

"Does it matter? I'm going now!"

Never taking his eyes off the TV screen, Ayato heard his little bro slam the living room door shut on his way out rather loudly. Ayato was honestly surprised when Kanato had announced he was heading somewhere. Curiosity got the best of him and Laito so they both scurried off into Kanato's room to search for whatever clue there was of where he was going today.

"He rarely ever goes out anywhere."

"Huhu~ I'm more curious if he's out with a girl—Look Ayato!"

He and Laito were lucky enough to spot their little bro's phone lying on the nightstand beside the bed. He hurriedly snatched Kanato's phone off the nightstand, thinking if Kanato wasn't feeling well or something. Who on earth would forget their phone at home when they go out, apparently Kanato, right?

"...Azusa...With Yuma...and," Ayato mumbled when he looked through his little bro's text messages from last night and when his eyes spotted Yui's name he thought about heading to where Kanato was heading. He should probably flush away the girl's fear once and for all so he could continue on with his quest. "Wait up...school? Gross! Why would they go to school to hang out!"

 _Ding._

"...I'll be helping out in the Mukami's shop if you need me," Laito said, exiting the room.

Ayato held onto the phone, heading to his own room to grab a jacket. "Help me close up the windows first cuz I'm heading out too!"

* * *

"Subaru is the only one for her!"

"Ayato would be perfect for her." Laito briskly argued back to Kou, carrying a tray of cupcakes, and walked out the kitchen.

He's chill with the Mukami siblings and all but one thing for sure was that he and Kou weren't chill with Yui's potential lover. He was rooting for his brother Ayato whereas Kou was rooting for his best friend Subaru.

During their break time they would sometimes quarrel.

"Your brother just a player!"

"He needs her!"

"Tch, there's no way that will happen!"

Their quarreling occasionally ends up provoking Ruki.

"Don't talk so loud!"

* * *

Arriving at school, he planned on heading to the garden where he was sure Kanato, Azusa, Yuma and Yui were at.

"Of all the places it had to be school...," Ayato complained, walking through corridors and such to get to the garden.

He could not believe he was doing this, being at school when it's not necessary. For the most part, he was here to quickly flush away Yui's fears already. It'll make his challenge easier but Subaru being added in the equation wasn't going to do him any good. From his source, Yuma, Subaru proved to be a pain the butt, but he kind of feels bad for Subaru.

"...I'll water half and you water half." Close to the garden, he heard Yui's voice. Instead of barging in there, Ayato hid himself behind the rose bushes which acted as fences. "Is that alright Yuma?"

"Sure."

"Tch, let me help Yuma!"

"No way, you'll overwater them like that last time with my cherry tomatoes!"

It was clear as daylight that Subaru was smitten with Yui—that's why he feels bad for the male.

"...Kanato...and I will...help out too."

Ayato doesn't go after girls that aren't head over heels with him. He has done that once before and never will he go through with it again. _Sucks for him. There's no way_ _she feels the same way as he does._

Ayato stayed silent in his spot, eavesdropping.

"Just let him Yuma." He heard Yui persuade as Yuma and Subaru played tug a war with the watering pot.

"You heard her!"

"I ain't listening to her!"

"Hey Kanato, what's Ayato doing right now?" As arguing continued Yui just carried on with showering the plants with water along with Kanato and Azusa.

"Playing video games at home." He heard munching sounds from Kanato. "...Did Ruki make the cookies?"

"Nope, it was Subaru."

They both strayed from the topic of him and went on and on about food which just made him hungry since he didn't eat breakfast yet. His stomach started to growl but thankfully it didn't reach their ears but his own. _Shit, I'_ _m_ _starving._

"Subaru...makes...good takoyaki too."

"Yup, he really does."

"How about sweets?"

Ayato realized they just wouldn't shut up about food. His stomach kept on growling so he sneaked away to find something to eat.

* * *

"...I'm...thirsty..."

"...Ah, the drinks! I forgot about the drinks!" She knew she forgot to bring something.

Kanato suggested. "Go to the vending machines."

"Alright, I'll be right back."

* * *

"All I'm finding are vending machines with chips..." Yui mumbled. She couldn't find one with drinks, just vending machines filled with bags of chips. And as she continued on with her findings, she started to get a bit irritated since all she's finding are chips.

"You're kidding me..." She exasperatedly knelt down on the floor in front of the vending machine—this one didn't have drinks either.

"Hey Pancake—"

"Hya!" She let out a high pitched scream when someone placed their hand on her shoulder.

"Shut up! It's just me, geez...I'll show you where the drinks are."

He offered to show her to the way where the drinks were, so she took him up on the offer. As she followed beside him, she thought about reintroducing him to Subaru. The first one didn't count. Well, it did, but it wasn't a proper one.

"Hey Ayato, why are you here today?"

"Kanato forgot his phone."

When they arrived at a vending machine with drinks, Yui let out a breath of relief and thanked him.

"You're not busy today right Ayato?" He nodded his head to which she happily hurrayed at in her mind. Since he wasn't busy today, it was a good time to introduce him to Subaru. She thought they would get along just fine.

"Will you be staying here with Kanato" when she had asked that, he gave her a weird look as he insert a dollar into the machine for a bottle of cold water. "No way! I'm just here cuz he forgot his phone" was what the red-head had answered but he had followed her back and hung around at the garden with them until the day ended.

.

.

.

The next day Ayato found himself in front of Yui's house with Laito and Kanato. Why? He didn't know. All he knew he was dragged out by both his brothers and is sleepy as hell right now. He didn't want to be out here in the cold air this early.

"...Eh..." When the door finally opened, he barged in to the house hoping to get warm. Tea was served in courtesy of Yui though she was a bit drowsy and he had to admit the girl looks cute when half asleep. "...Here's some tea..."

"Hey little bitch, where are the others?"

"Kou and Azusa are the only ones helping Ruki out for today..." Yui handed Ayato his cup of tea. "Yuma and Subaru are sleeping in...Anyways, why are you all here so early...?"

He felt her eyes land on him, feeling that she was mostly asking why he was here. So he answered her. "Yours truly was dragged out into the cold by them."

As he took a sip of tea, he caught her cracking up a small smile. Then he heard his brothers get up from the couch.

"Nfu, hang out with Yui for today alright Ayato~"

He almost got tea all over the place. "What? What are you talking about? Where are you guys going?"

"We're helping out at their shop today." Laito informed.

And with that said, he and Kanato were gone.

"You can go home if you want." Yui picked out his cup and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Che, I'm not going out in to the cold again!" There were blankets on the armrest so he made himself at home by wrapping himself with a white one and placed his legs on top of the table.

"What a small place..." He mumbled to himself as he took a look around. Comparing it to his house, his home was ten times bigger than this one. He thought the Mukami's house would be around the same size as his home since Kou was a really popular idol, Subaru too. He wondered what the white haired male's home was like.

"I'll turn on the heater."

As she set up the heater, Ayato questioned. "Why do you guys live in such a small house?"

"...Well, for me it's more fun that way."

"Really? I wouldn't want to live here. This place is freaking cramped." If he and his brothers lived in this house, he would go crazy. Nonstop cursing and arguments would probably occur every single day if they lived here.

"But I like it. It's cozy like this."

"It would be annoying as hell." The living room was a lot warmer now. "Cozy my ass—Gah!"

He saw a white fur ball bolting his way. In reflex and horror, he stood up on the couch. Now the cat was glaring up with at him with its green eyes as it walked back and forth underneath the table. He then watched as Yui lured the cat out from under the table and picked it up into her arms. No longer was it hissing or snarling at him. The cat was all calmed down as it purred and nuzzled against the girl's cheek affectionately. "Her name is Snowball."

"Snowball? What lame name—" It wasn't really that lame but it was lame either way. Also, he recalled inventing the name Snowball for someone when he was a child. Yuck, he couldn't believe he had made up such a lame name.

A new voice interrupted. "Shut up, no one asked for your opinion!"

The cat meowed happily, jumping out of Yui's arms and rubbed against the white haired male's leg.

"Ah? Yours truly has the right to—"

"What are you even doing here? Get out!"

"Bastard—"

Yuma had a tired and agitated look on his face, plus a pillow tightly gripped in one hand, ready to beat the crap out of someone. "Fucking shit, shut your damn mouths!"

Subaru glared at Ayato. "Tch, look what you did."

"What? Me? It was you—"

"Do I have to fucking repeat myself?"

"Yuma, you're scaring Snowball!" Yui managed put an end to the pissed off Yuma.

When everything was all calm, everyone had a cup of tea to relieve their stress and anger except for Yui since she's the only chill person. Ayato was seated close to an armrest while Subaru was seated close to the other armrest.

"So, why are you here?" Yuma questioned, seated in the middle of him and Subaru.

"I didn't want to be here in the first place," he complained. "Stupid Laito and Kanato dragged me out the house, Che..."

Yui took a seat on top of the armrest Ayato was close to. "You three seem really close."

"Like I care, they're annoying as hell!"

The blonde frowned. "That's a bit harsh..."

"Well, they are annoying," he responded, emphasizing the word are. "I wish they weren't my brothers."

"You're a real bastard you know." He didn't know what was up with Subaru. The guy just abruptly got up and scowled at him before disappearing off in to a bedroom, closing the door shut with a rather loud slam. Short temper much?

"We'll check up on him." Both Yuma and Yui tried opening the door but it wouldn't budge. It was all locked up. "Open the damn door."

Yuma roughly knocked on the door a couple of times, shouting profanities as well. Ayato, uneasy with the tense atmosphere, figured he should probably get going. But he didn't want to leave this toasty living room. So still wrapped in the blanket, he announced his leave. "I'm going home now."

The two siblings didn't even notice he still had the blanket on him as they waved goodbye.

When he got home, he got hit with chilly air but it was warmer than the Mukami's house without the heater. He does have this really warm blanket he borrowed. Well, more like he stole it but he had a reasonable explanation, like there was no way he would walk back home without something to keep him warm in this cold weather.

"Hmm...this blanket is really warm." And indeed it was. It could rival a heater even. He's probably exaggerating but this white blanket was really, really, really cozy, soft...and did he not mention warm yet?

He wondered whose blanket this was but didn't think too much on the subject and continued video gaming, wearing the blanket as a cape.

* * *

"Please o-open door." Yui softly knocked on the door while the cat pawed at it. Since Ayato had left, the Subaru still had not open the door yet.

"Hehe, I have idea Yui."

So the heater was turned off and Subaru finally opened the door, slightly shivering. "Blanket...Where's my blanket..."

Yuma asked. "What color is it?"

"White."

The three just directed their gaze at the couch but the white blanket Subaru spoke of wasn't there.

"Hey Yui, wasn't Ayato using it," Yuma questioned.

Yui nodded. "He might have accidentally taken it with him."


	8. Snowball

**A/N Next chapter will be more focused on Family matter and it'll last for about two or three chapters. There will be romantic AyatoXYui moments but you're gonna have to squint for that...yeah XD**

* * *

 **Snowball**

* * *

"Will you open the fucking door already!"

"Um...it's really cold out here Ayato..."

Yes, he heard the loud knocking coming from the living room door but he didn't budge from his spot one bit. He was very comfortable with his spot, rooted to the floor in front of the t.v, not going to even bother opening the door for Yuma and Yui. Like screw that, he had more important things to do like for example, playing video games which is exactly what he's currently doing right now.

"Hey! Can you hear us in there!"

"It's really freezing out here..."

Eventually he did open the goddamn door. Okay, more like the just unlocked the door halfway and quickly dashed back to his game. "It's open!"

Being specific, it was halfway open.

"You didn't fucking unlock the door correctly!"

"Give me five minutes." It actually took him more than five minutes to properly open up the door for them but he didn't bother to lock it.

When the two were welcomed in, Yuma caught sight of the game, it involved zombies and plants, Ayato was playing and took his controller from his hands. Ayato got all whiny when the controller was snatched away from him but he was chill with it afterwards.

"Ayato?"

"Hmm?"

"The blanket you have on you is Subaru's."

"Are you serious?" He sunk back into the couch, wrapping the blanket around him tighter, resisting to give the blanket to her. He was stubborn but eventually handed the white blanket to Yui, to be returned to the rightful owner.

When the two left the place, he went back to playing his video games, didn't even bother to lock the door, but half an hour later he decided to message Yui out of boredom. Laito had been working at the Mukami's shop frequently and truth be told, without that pervert around the house or Kanato, it was less lively.

 **Ayato: Hey I'm bored. Entertain me.**

 **Pancake: I'm going to help out in the shop. Yuma said he's coming over.**

 **Ayato: Oh.**

When Yuma barged in, he was rather...lively.

He practically shoved him aside, snatched the controller, and took his spot in front if the t.v screen. Ayato landed on his side, face planted on the floor. He groaned as he sat himself up. "What the hell!"

"Accident."

Ayato just rolled his eyes and sighed, taking a seat on the couch instead. "Hey Yuma, is there any other games you're interested in besides this one?"

"Sure. Have anything multiplayer games?"

"Why'd you have to drag me here too." He saw Subaru standing in the doorway, hesitating to go further into the house. It was funny to witness honestly. It was like he was waiting for permission to venture in further like a well behaved little child waiting to be rewarded with candies. The guy seemed to have a tough personality yet he was polite at the same time. Subaru kind of reminded him of someone from his childhood.

"Just get in," he permitted.

"It wasn't like I was waiting for your permission or anything...," he heard his mumbling as he entered the living room. "Thanks for returning my blanket."

Ayato nodded absently. His thoughts were elsewhere. His thoughts wandered to his childhood memories. "Hey, do I know you from somewhere before?"

"Gross, why would you ask me that?"

"Ah? What did you say? It's a privilege to know yours truly you know?"

"Haha, that's hilarious."

"Why you—"

"Shut your traps will ya! Lemme concentrate on this game!"

They both shut their mouths up but silently glared at each other. Silence, except for the sounds of video games, last for an hour until Yuma commented. "What are you two doing? It's too quiet!"

"Tch, how can you be so friendly with this guy?"

"Huh? Why? What's wrong with him?"

He continued to glare at Subaru. "I can hear you you know."

"He's really a bastard."

"Bastard, you don't even know me that well—"

"Ayato, how come you didn't like the door?" As Yui entered the living room, he saw Subaru directing his attention towards her.

"Ruki didn't let you help," Yuma asked.

"Nope...Hey Ayato, is it okay if I use your kitchen?"

"Cook your truly something to eat if you're gonna use it."

"I'll help," Subaru tagged in.

As the two were preparing breakfast, Ayato watched Yuma play, but his mind wandered off to Subaru. He was sure he met him somewhere before. He was sure of it.

"Have you met him before?"

"I don't know...but he's...familiar."

"...You shouldn't talk bad about your own brothers. It upsets him." Yuma's eyes were still stuck on the screen as he explained. "Last time Kou and I had a big fight. He was the one who settled things down."

"Him? I don't believe it."

"Surprising right? But he really did."

"...Ah! Now I remember him!" Subaru and Yui came back into the living room with breakfast. "Hey Snowball! Don't you remember yours truly?"

"Hah?"

" _Gah, what do I do!"_

 _He really screwed up by not getting a present for Kanato. He ruffled his hair as he headed to the swings. It was recess, almost the end of school, and he just has to think of a present for his little brother quick._

" _What should I get...A blanket." He found a white blanket sitting on a swing."Hm, I guess that should do."_

 _It wasn't stealing._ _B_ _esides, it wasn't like he was causing any harm_ _from_ _taking the blanket_ _so he took the blanket at went back into the classroom and stuffed it into his backpack. The next day, on Kanato's birthday, he gave him the blanket without wrapping it in a box._

 _H_ _is brother didn't_ _accept_ _the presen_ _t so he planned to sneak the blanket back to where he found it._

 _T_ _he problem was that he didn't remember which swing he found it on._

" _Curse you swings," he mentally muttered to himself._

" _Hey, you! Why do you have my blanket?"_

 _W_ _hite hair and red eyes_ _filled his vision_ _when he turned to the owner of the voice._

" _Yours?_ _Che, then you should be glad yours found it for you._ _Huh—_ _" T_ _he blanket was briskly snatched away from his grip_ _and a glare was cast upon him. "_ _You'r_ _e_ _supposed to thank yours truly!"_

" _You stole it!"_

" _I borrowed you stupid snowball!"_

" _Hah? What did you say!"_

 _They had got into a fight but later the guy helped him find another present for Kanato, though, it was the teacher's demand._

"Amazing Ayato. You met Subaru when you were little?" Yui questioned.

"Tch, I don't remember you."

"You damn Snowball! How dare you not remember yours truly!"

"Hah? Who would even want to remember you?"

"Why you—"

"Takoyaki! Subaru made takoyaki Ayato!"

As soon as Yui announced his favorite snack, he hogged the plate of takoyaki.

"It's not all for you!"

"I-It's okay Subaru. I'll go make another batch."

Once again, minus the sounds of the video game and Ayato's munching sounds, silence enveloped the room.

"Tch, how is she able to talk to you so easily..."

He wondered about that too, how Yui was able to talk to him without stuttering. He was sure Laito had something to do with it.

...

"A party? You never told yours truly anything about a party!" When Thanksgiving came by, a party took place. A party all planned out by Laito. Ayato wasn't expecting that. "Gah, this will be annoying."

"Eh, but you used to love parties Ayato~" From inside his bedroom with the door locked, he could still hear music blasting from the living room and voices of a few guests that were hanging near his bedroom. "Kanato is at the Mukami's house for a sleepover by the way."

"Really? Then I'm off! Pancake's place sounds better than staying here!"

...

"...What...Why is he even here!"

It was very clear to him that Subaru wasn't happy with him being here.

"Why don't shut up. Unlike you, yours truly here is trying to watch the movie."

"Why don't you both be quiet? Some of us are trying to watch the movie." Ruki intervened. Azusa and Yui were seated on the floor with a large bowl of popcorn while Ayato, Subaru, Ruki, and Yuma were on the couch. Ayato and Subaru were the only ones who weren't really paying attention to the movie. They were seated right beside each other, giving each other side glares ever since the movie started.

"Che."

"Tch."

They both stopped scowling at each other and turned their attention to the screen since Ruki was terrifying as hell when agitated.

"Subaru, don't take your anger out on our quest just because Kou isn't here."

"He said he'd stay for Thanksgiving!"

"D-Don't Subaru, we're used to it."

"Yeah, it can't be helped."

"...Don't be angry...at Kou...Subaru."

Curious, Ayato questioned. "Where is he?"

Reluctantly Subaru answered him. "...He has idol work."

"D-Don't worry Subaru. He said he would be back before the movie ends."

"Tch, stupid idol work."

Wasn't he like Kou too? He wondered why he wasn't with Kou right now or doing some sort of idol work. "Aren't you an idol too?"

"I'm on my Thanksgiving break."

Ayato suddenly understood why Subaru was pissed off earlier. _No wonder...This guy really values family huh?_ From time to time he would sneak short glances at Subaru and the others, thinking how the atmosphere felt like a big warm family as they watched the movie. About halfway into the movie, Yui and Azusa were leaning against each other with closed eyes while the same went for Yuma and Ruki.

"...Zzz..."

"Good night..." He saw Subaru smile tenderly as he wrapped the really warm white blanket around Yui and Azusa and a blue one around Yuma and Ruki.

"You look really close to them."

"...They're like my family."

"...I honestly didn't mean that I really hate my brothers. Those two are my family."

"Really? It's nice to know you aren't really a bastard." He could feel Subaru stare at him with a smug smile on his face.

"Che, shut it! I can't hear the movie." He increased the volume.

"Hey, don't wake them up!" Subaru snatched back the controller and as he decreased the volume, he commented, "...Tch...no wonder Laito told her all about you."

"Turn up the volume," Ayato exclaimed as he struggled for the controller.

"Shut up first!"

What else did they know about him?

 _His eyes were glued to the screen as he heard heels clicking in the kitchen. His mother was in the kitchen, pacing back and forth while shouting curse words at air. "...I'm the most perfect woman in the whole world and he...I should have dumped him first...Hmm, whatever. I can just pick another rich guy."_

" _...again...mother is..." He didn't like what she was complaining about, so he turned up the volume. Even with the volume turned up, he heard plates being shattered. Though, it didn't really matter since his family could always afford new ones. They were really rich._

" _Ayato, be a good boy and look after your brothers while I shop for groceries." But she would always arrive home late, smelling really gross._

 _He just nodded to himself as the door slammed shut._

" _Are we getting a new dad?" He heard Laito question as he took a seat beside him while Kanato did the same._

" _Probably," he responded._

 _He didn't care. He wasn't fond of his mother and father anyways. He's never seen his father's face nor met him in person. He doesn't even know his father's whereabouts and his mother never settled down with one guy, only seeking rich men._

" _Hey what video games do you guys want to play today?"_

 _He was only fond of Kanato and Laito._

"...Ah, it's nice to see you two getting along." Yui had awakened from her sleep, smiling at him and Subaru.

He wondered what else Yui knew about him, aside from stories such as how he took a dump in the pool or how he too afraid able to climb down a tree.

"Che, get your eyes checked Pancake."

"Hah? What's wrong with Yui?"

"Subaru makes delicious takoyaki."

"...Really?" His eyes lit up at what Yui and said and faced Subaru with a goofy smile.

He could get used to the Mukami siblings and Subaru.

"I'm not going to fucking cook for you!"

.

.

.

"Yui? Why are you up so early?"

Upon hearing Ruki's voice, she fumbled with an egg but thankfully she quickly regained her composure.

"I thought I should be the one to cook breakfast for today," she responded but it was more like she noticed he had been sneezing and coughing a lot. So she thought he should sleep in for a few more minutes.

"Are you saying I'm unable to cook today? I'm not sick at all." He took over, stealing the egg from her hand.

"...But you're sick and you'll get us sick too."

"Like I said Yui, I am not sick—"

As if proving Yui's point instead of his own, Ruki let out involuntary coughs.

"Don't worry Ruki, I'll make breakfast for today," she took her egg back and cracked it open, pouring the egg yolk and egg white into the pan along with several other eggs. "Yuma, Azusa and I will take care of the shop too so you can rest—"

"No, that's not allowed. You guys will not be skipping school...it's best to...school is...life...good for you..."

It seemed that Ruki was able lecture away even if he was sick.

"Uh...not again," she mumbled to herself.

"Yahoo~ Look what little kitten got herself into again~"

"Kah, how are you not tired Kou..."

"...Ruki...we'll be late...for...school..."

The others earned themselves a lecture from him as well. As Ruki continued his lecture, he coughed and sneezed here and there but eventually he gave in and allowed Yui to make breakfast.

"You guys said you want a pet right? Hurry up and pick one. We are already on the second week of December."

"I'm fine with any kind of pet," Yui said.

"Me too," Yuma agreed.

"...I want...a...dog..."

"I definitely want a cat~"

 _Presents huh? What should I get for them?_

...

"So Ruki's gonna adopt a pet," Ayato asked.

"Uh huh," Yui cheerfully nodded.

It was like a daily routine that the Sakamaki brothers walk to school with them. Laito and Kou were the farthest ones in the front, behind them was Kanato and Azusa and behind those two were Ayato and Yui.

"Hmm...I wonder what I should get for Kanato and Laito..."

"Me too...What I should get for everyone. I don't what you or Kanato would like," Yui wondered out loud.

"Me? You're buying me a present too?" He looked at her weirdly.

"Of course," Yui casually responded.

Even though she wasn't really close to Ayato and Kanato, Laito had told her all about them. She knew almost everything about those two, ranging from their most embarrassing stories to their childhood memories. She's sure she doesn't know every single thing about those two but she knows them to a certain extent.

Yuma called out from behind, "Hey, your face is red shorty."

Yui turned to look beside her, to examine his face, and true enough, he was blushing.

"Shut up!" She remembered Laito said they never really received presents on holidays like Christmas or even on their birthdays. So She decided to not point it out, pretended to not notice his red cheeks, and smiled as she faced forward.

"Is their something you really want?"

"N-Not really...Uh, just so you know yours truly is going the best present you ever got s-so you better get something good!"

He was still blushing when he said that.

The corners of her lip curved up. She couldn't help herself. Her lips moved on their on, she swears!


	9. Chaotic

**Chaotic**

* * *

His present for Yui will be...he doesn't know. He really has no idea what he was going to give her.

"Why are you lying on my bed Ayato?"

"Shut up Laito! Let me think!"

But when she said she was going to get a present for him, he was surprised. He never really received presents from his friends from school or his parents. Yui saying that she was going to get him a present was new to him. It hasn't been that long since he met her and she was going to get him a Christmas present!

"Hey Ayato—"

"Shut up!"

"Ayato—"

"I said shut up! I'm trying to think!" But he was just lying down on Laito's bed, thinking about what Yui's present for him was going to be instead of what kind of present he should get for her. That was all that he was thinking about.

"Get the door Ayato."

"No way. Kanato, you get the door!"

"No! Never!"

"Jeez, fine." He really didn't have anything better to do so he got his butt off Laito's bed and headed for the living room door as he was thinking of all the possible presents he might receive from Yui. Yep, that was the only thing going on in his mind right now.

"Ruki wanted to give his presents to you guys early."

"Tch..."

"Oh, and there's also a box of Takoyaki specifically for you Ayato so it's not all sweets." Subaru and Yui walked in, each holding a stack of four boxes filled with mouthwatering treats. Subaru placed his stack roughly on the coffee table and briskly walked out. "Hurry up Yui!"

"...Ah...Sorry."

Ayato stared at Yui, weirded out by her when she apologized to the stack of boxes that Subaru had handled roughly with. "Food can't—Ah, whatever."

"Subaru's stack of boxes are his presents for you guys."

"Eh," He drawled. "...So he does have a heart."

"Of course he does?" Yui happily confirmed, smiling at him as he opened the box of takoyaki. "See? He doesn't dislike you at all."

After Yui and Subaru were gone, Kanato and Laito came into the living room. They inspected the boxes, opening them up, taking in the sweet scents. They stuffed their mouths with macaroons and other goodies in the boxes while Ayato grabbed the box of takoyaki.

"Who was that Ayato?"

"Sweets, I smell sweets!"

He never really cared whether he received presents or not but it felt wonderful to be given presents. He really appreciated Ruki's and Subaru's presents. It was just food but he really appreciated it. He would never say that aloud to them though.

"Pancake and Snowball dropped off presents." He slumped onto the sofa with the box of takoyaki and turned the t.v on, switching channels in search of a horror movie. "Those boxes are from Ruki and the others are from Snowball."

"What are you going to get for Yui?"

Honestly, he doesn't know.

"I'll cure her fear. That's her present."

Laito took his box of macaroons, "That's terrible present. That kind of present doesn't count."

Kanato rolled his eyes at Ayato. "Are you stupid? How are you going to do that when it's Christmas."

"Shut up and watch the movie!"

He'll figure it out...He wonders what Yui was going to give him...and the others too.

.

.

.

"Yes! It's almost Winter break," Yuma exclaimed as he exited the boys locker room with Ayato, Laito and Kou.

"It's about time yours truly gets a break—" Ayato agreed.

Squealing fangirls ran up to Laito and Kou, shoving Yuma and Ayato out of the way.

"Che, why is it always Laito and Kou...Ah, whatever."

They walked near the girls locker room, waiting for Yui. As they waited, girls coming out of the locket room giggled and flushed at the sight of them. When Yui came out, Ayato was surprised by her P.E clothes. It was all wrinkled up, marked with markers and the ends of her shirt and short were all cut up.

"What the fuck...What happened to your clothes Yui,"Yuma asked. "You'll make us get another lecture from him again."

"Just don't tell him about it," she reasoned. "It's washable markers, so don't worry."

She went on ahead of them, leaving them near the locker room.

"Tch, don't worry my butt," he heard Yuma grumble.

"Ha, serves her right doesn't it?"

"Yeah, maybe we should have used permanent markers."

He started to get irritated. What was with her? She came out of the locker room as if her P.E clothes were normal. And she wasn't going to tell anyone what really happened? She was like Kanato in his elementary school days. Kanato would get bullied from time to time in elementary school but never told him or Laito anything about it.

"Hey," he shouted at the couple of girls that had exited the locker room. "Apologize to her. Kneel down and apologize to her."

"W-What are you talking about?" the two girls were flustered, embarrassed to have been called out.

Yuma joined in, glaring at the two girls. "You two were the ones who messed up her clothes right? Hurry up and apologize."

Frightened by Yuma, they complied to their orders and scramble off to apologize to Yui. Ayato kept his eyes glued on the girls, making sure they actually apologize to Yui. He heavily sighed to himself as the girls apologized to Yui. The blonde was smiling, not minding what the two girls had down to her clothes. "Che, is she an idiot? Accepting their apology so quickly..."

Yuma shrugged his shoulders. "If they don't bother her anymore then I don't mind."

"You're being a terrible brother now...Yours truly is a better brother than you."

"What, what the hell? How?" He shrugged his shoulders in response. "Anyways, why are you so pissed about it? Is it Kanato? He went through something like this before too, right?"

He wasn't fazed with Yuma's knowledge. He was sure Laito and gossiped about him and Kanato often. He just nodded and smirked proudly at Yuma. "Yep, and yours truly was the one who beat up all the bullies for him—"

The tardy bell rang, followed by the voice of their P.E teacher.

"Yuma, Ayato! What are you two brats standing near the girls locker room for? Get your asses over here!"

...

"Wow, fufu~ You're actually waiting for Yui for once." Whenever Laito made plans to help out in Mukami's shop along with Kanato, he would follow them but since Yui was always the last one out of the locker room out of Laito, Kou, Yuma and himself, he would go on ahead.

"Heh, so this his first time waiting for her?" Yuma joined in on the teasing.

"Huhu~ And he's not even dating anyone these days~"

He rolled his eyes, blushing lightly.

"Shut it."

...

"Since I'm the best, I'll give you your Christmas present early."

Yuma, Kou, Laito, Ayato, and Yui took a table against the glass window while Kanato and Azusa headed back to Mukami's bakery. Ayato had led everyone into a random shop that had a male cashier. The shop turned out to be this really popular cafe shop which was located right across from the Mukami's bakery shop.

"Um...Ayato, why are we in this shop," Yui questioned.

Laito had told her about Ayato's present for her and she was so not ready for this.

"Your present." Sitting across from her, Ayato was wearing a very confident smirk on his lips.

The waiters were practically all guys, plus the cashier with red eyes looked really intimidating but it seemed that some of the female customers didn't think so. A couple of girls were taking there sweet time on their order while the customers behind them were cursing to themselves.

"You have to order us our food and drinks," he said.

"Cruel," Kou drawled out the u sound from beside her. "I'll just have green tea."

"Same here please~"

"I don't want anything."

"Che, that's all?" Yuma was kind enough to not want anything. Laito and Kou just wanted tea but freaking Ayato wanted half the items on the menu, like what the fudging hell! Do they even have enough money for this? And he still has a fudging smirk on his face! "It's for a very good cause."

"..." Yui inwardly groaned to herself. Well...yes, he was right. This is for a good cause. The corner of her mouth curved up a bit, one of her eyes twitched in annoyance as she said," Alright, I'll try my very best."

"Hah, this is annoying...What do you want?"

Oh lord, a waiter appeared.

"U-Um...tea a-and...u-um coffee..." When she took a look at him, the guy wasn't even looking at her. Thank god he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at his note pad, writing down orders. When she finished her order the waiter moved on the table behind them.

"What?" Yui questioned as Ayato sent her a glare.

"You suck. You're supposed were supposed to do what they're doing," he gestured the table behind them.

"...But they're flirting."

"Exactly, see how they're not stuttering?" Ayato did make a good point—no, fudge no! She wasn't going to do that, besides, she already—"Hey, we forgot to order something else!"

"..." The others looked at her, giving her looks saying that Ayato was right while stifling their laughter. Everyone knew that she couldn't flirt even if her life depended on it.

The waiter let out a sigh, not even trying to hide it. "...What do you want?"

She took a deep breath.

"Um...Your hair...the color of your hair looks relaxing, like an orange...Uh, I like orange." She was just saying what she was intrigued about him. She didn't really know what color his hair was but it looked orange to her, a light blonde orange.

The waiter looked at her with a nonchalant expression. "Hah...What do you want..."

"Iced green tea please..." She tilted her head down, looking at the surface of the table in shame.

"Pfft, aha haha! What's how you flirt?" As soon as the waiter left, Ayato burst out laughing. "Hair? Haha ahahaha!"

It wasn't only him that was laughing at her. The others joined in too, laughing their fudging butts off!

"..." With her gaze still stuck on the table, she pouted and glared. "How mean...stop laughing please."

Yuma snorted. "Least you didn't stutter when you said that."

Kou was covering his mouth with one hand, shaking with laughter. "Aha ha...Pfft your hair looks relaxing?"

Laito had a teasing smile. "I think I'd like to get a compliment about my hair from you too~"

"Haha! Ahahaha!" Ayato was...really having fun with this. He was still laughing his fudging butt off!

"...Please stop laughing Ayato."

Well the good thing was that when the same waiter came by with their orders he didn't question the laughter or the amount of food on the table.

.

.

.

Ayato didn't receive on present from her. She got him a scarf, a wrist band made of yarn with fancy designs that said friendship, takoyaki, he wondered if she made them herself and a really warm blanket.

"...Are we friends," He wondered aloud.

The presents were laid out on his spacious bed. He was lying on his stomach, gazing at the presents. It wasn't like her presents were extremely amazing or anything but it was the fact that she gave him presents even though she just met him for a short time.

Actually, because of Laito, she probably knows more about him than he knows about her.

"Fufu~ Are those from her?" He nodded.

"Hey, Laito. Tell me something about her." Other than having knowledge of her fear of males and how she was terrible at flirting, he didn't know much about her at all.

"Go hang out with her then." Laito suggested, taking a seat on his bed.

"You know what? Get off my bed." He got up on his knees, crawled over to Laito with, and tried to shove him onto the floor. But Laito didn't fucking budge. "Argh, Get...Off dammit!"

"No way~ Your bed is more comfy than the floor." Laito reasoned.

"Gah! Move!"

"Nope~"

"What's taking so long?" Kanato complained, entering the room. "Let's go."

He stopped pushing Laito and asked,"What? Go where?"

The living room was dark though it was noon. No lights were turned on except for the kitchen light and the small Christmas tree near the side of the couch. The t.v was on, showing a Christmas movie.

"Yui, are you sure you don't need any help?"

"It's okay Ruki! I told you already, I'm not going to make a mess in the kitchen!"

"Uh huh~ Unlike someone named Yuma."

"Shut up Kou!"

"What?"

"Don't you remember Laito? I sent you tons of pictures~"

"Ah! I remember now~"

"Hey...Kanato, have I...ever told you...about—"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up! Let's just watch the movie!"

From the kitchen Ayato heard lively laughter. The Mukami siblings...they were really close, closer than he and his siblings. He envied their bond thought as he watched Yui frost the cupcakes.

"Did you like Subaru's Takoyaki Ayato?"

He nodded his head. In fact, Subaru's takoyaki were better than the Yui's. There were also Ruki's takoyaki as well. He got a box with half of the side filled with takoyaki while the other half was packed with truffles. "...yours aren't that bad."

"Did you say something," she asked, eyes still focused on the cupcakes and frosting.

"Nothing, just hurry up! I wanna see the movie!" He buried his face in his arms, hiding a light blush on his cheeks.

He found it hard admitting to her how he enjoyed her presents. He was even wearing the wrist band right now.

"I'm almost done..."

"...Stupid Pancake..."

"I said I'm almost done!"

.

.

.

 **Ayato: Want to go somewhere right now?**

He didn't know what was going on in his head when he sent that.

 **Pancake: Where?**

He actually wanted to get to know her better. She was a cool friend, though he would never allow her to hear that come out of his mouth. He also wanted to know how much she knew about him.

"Hey Laito, are you there? Laito—"

"He's out with a girl."

He heavily sighed. "Ugh, are you kidding me! Kanato, let's go."

"What? What are—Let go! I want to stay at home today!"

He couldn't let his brother stay home all by himself so he dragged him along with him, despite getting scratches and teeth marks on his arms. They both arrived at a park and he was surprised to see Azusa there as well.

"Hang on tight Azusa."

"Do what Azusa's doing Kanato."

"No! I'm not going on the swing if you're pushing me."

The park had a playground for little children to play on but they were teenagers. Teenagers! But that didn't matter, they were little kids on the inside so this was an okay thing to be doing.

"Don't worry Kanato. I'll make sure Ayato doesn't do anything bad."

People walking by the park sent them weird looks, probably wondering why the heck are there teenagers playing on a playground. The children playing on the slides and monkeys bars also looked at them weirdly. He didn't care though. This was actually pretty fun.

"Yui, what do you know about me?"

"He...tells...us...lots of...funny stories...about you," Azusa answered.

"Uh huh," Yui confirmed.

Kanato smiled keenly. "Yeah, lots of them. Like that time when you cried over a caterpillar crawling on you."

Yui nodded. "Yeah and—"

"Gah shut it! You don't need to tell me all the stories!"

...

"I'm sorry~ What would you like to order again?"

"You know my sons don't you?" The lady, claiming to be Laito's Kanato's and Ayato's mother, repeated the same question a third time and for sure, the lady was their mother. Laito had described her to him before, green eyes, long purple hair, and lips with heavy red lipstick.

He turned off the cheerful atmosphere around him and rolled his eyes. "If you're not going to order anything then get out."

"Ah look, you're getting a lot of attention. You must be very popular."

She was right. Some customers were on their way out the door, some were whispering to each other and some were in disbelief. But that didn't faze him. He was determined to kick her out of this place.

He scowled at her. "Get out."

"At least answer my question first."

"I said get—" He suddenly felt someone's hand on his shoulder. "Ruki?"

"If you are harassing my workers then I will call the police so order something or get out."

With a grunt, the woman left.

...

"Shit...," Ayato mumbled.

"This is fun."

She was bad at first but she was slowly getting the hand of the game they were playing. Either way, whether he wins or lose, this was fun. Then the next thing he knew Laito barged into the living with a girl, making out with each other which was pretty disturbing.

Hastily, the blonde dropped the controller and covered hers and Azusa's eyes. "Close your eyes Azusa!"

He and Kanato did the opposite. They both looked at their brother with disapproving looks.

"That's disgusting Laito, you're more disgusting than Ayato." Kanato commented as Laito and the girl broke away and lead the girl out the door. "Yeah Laito you're—Wait what? Yours truly isn't disgusting!"

As Kanato and Ayato continued to argue with each other, Laito took the controller and resumed the game. "You can open your eyes now. Sorry about that~"

"It's okay..." Yui responded as she took the other controller and played the game with Laito while Azusa watched. When Laito lost to Yui, Ayato shoved shoved Laito off the couch and took the controller while saying, "My turn!"

"Yui...is...unbeatable..."

"You suck Ayato."

"Fufu~ What happened to your skills Ayato?"

"..."

After a few more hours of playing video games, Yui and Azusa left to help out at the shop. Ayato lied on the couch, taking up all the space. Laito sat on the floor with Kanato, playing more games.

"You've been wearing the wrist band from Yui ever since you got it," Laito teased.

"Move your feet!" Kanato was, being an ass, sat on his legs while his keeping his eyes trained on the television screen.

"Bitch, get your butt off me!"

Now he wished Yui and Azusa stayed a bit longer. Kanato was a bit less chaotic when they were around. As he struggled to get Kanato off him, the door bell rang. Laito paused the game, got up and smiled. "You two are so childish..."

"Grrr, move dammit!"

"Move your feet first—"

"So your dad is sending you money? Hope you guys are doing okay." Ayato, as well as Kanato froze up at the voice. He stopped pushing Kanato off the couch and Kanato stopped resisting. That voice, his mother's voice, he hated his mother's voice. It wasn't music to his ears.

"Kanato...just look at the screen..." He moved his legs out of the way for Kanato and sat close to him, shoulders touching. He picked up the controller and resumed the game. His brother nodded, listening for once and directed his eyes on the television.

"Playing games?"

"Fufu~ We're still in winter break." Laito hated her too. He didn't understand how he was able to keep that cheerful atmosphere intact around their mother right now.

"Ayato and Kanato won't talk to me. Tell me Laito, how are they doing."

"They're doing good~"

"Is that so? Then...I'll be leaving now..."

There was a couple of minutes without exchanging words until Laito announced, "The Mukami siblings are sleeping over tonight."

...

Laito, he was pretty much the only one out of his siblings who could face their mother casually but that didn't mean that he was delighted to see her just now. He didn't like their mother either. He ended up asking the Mukami siblings to sleepover since it would be awkward tonight between him and his brothers.

"..."

"..."

His brothers didn't respond to him. There gazes were glued to the television screen. "Okay, I'm going to go outside to wait for them."

He silently closed the door after he walked out. He closed his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. He sat on the gray concrete and relaxed against the door, going over his memories of the past.

"Dad...doesn't come home anymore, does he? Ah, how irritating...It's her fault."

" _Nice to meet you~" He said, shaking the man's hand._

" _...Uh, nice to meet you." Ayato hesitated._

" _..."_

 _Whenever their mother brought home a new father his brothers were always uneasy._

" _Haha, these two are shy huh? Well, I hope you get used to me."_

 _There wasn't really any use in that since their mother was going to move on to another guy anyways._

Then he remembered a time when they were around their last year of elementary school. "Hmm, it was Ayato's fault for picking that type of girl."

" _Are you...crying Ayato?"_

" _...N-No!" He found his brother crying his eyes out on his bed, eyes red and puffy with wet cheeks. Snot was running down his nose so Laito took some tissue from his nightstand and wiped away his brother's snot. "I-I'm...n-n-not crying because...!"_

" _Yeah, yeah because you're the best right?"_

His eyes snapped opened when he heard a child's voice asking for ice cream. Reflected in his eyes were bright eyes, wide smiles, a cherry atmosphere—a family happily taking a stroll around the neighborhood. He closed his eyes, sighing again.

"Why...why couldn't we have been like that?" He titled his head back, resting against the door as he sighed once more.

"Mom, mom look! Stars, stars!"

"Mmhm, they look pretty right?"

"Yep. Oh, I think I saw a shooting star just now."

"Really? Hurry and make a wish sweetie!"

Unconsciously, he started to tear up. A few tear drops slid down his cheeks. He couldn't help it. "Dammit, s-smile...I have to—"

"Heeeeyyy Laito~," He heard Kou's voice. He desperately tried to hurry and crack a smile but it was difficult for him at the moment. "What are you doing out here?"

"Ah...Laito, you don't look so well," Yui said with concern.

"I'm fine." As he got up, he tried holding his tears in and avoided eye contact.

But Kou didn't let it go.

"Kch, you're not fine at all." He felt himself being grabbed by his hands and ankles. And suddenly he was facing the floor and being carried into the house. "Stretch harder you guys, especially you two, Azusa, Yui!"

His hand and an ankle wasn't being painfully pulled at the moment but after Azusa and Yui said sorry, stretching commenced.

"Tch, you better be crying right now." Yuma grunted.

"...It's...not good...to keep...it in..."

"That's right, let it out Laito." Yui agreed with Azusa.

"Aren't you an idiot for keeping in your tears? It's unhealthy for you."

He emptied out his tears while smiling.

It won't be awkward tonight; it'll be fun.

* * *

 **Hello~ hoped ya enjoyed this chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Conclusion**

* * *

 _Beep. Beep. Beep_

Ayato opened his eyes, groaning at the alarm. He reached beneath his pillow for his phone and turned off the annoying sound. Then he tried getting up, but oddly enough, he found it difficult to do so. He groaned again, trying to get himself up, but at that moment her heard someone softly mutter his name. His eyes could only see the dark but when the person muttered his name a second time and said "it's okay" he could tell who it was.

He relaxed and laid back down.

Seconds later he blinked. He just remembered something, wasn't yesterday their last day of winter break?

He checked the time on his phone—he smelled breakfast— and ruffled his hair, further messing up his hairdo.

"Shit, I'm so going to get murdered by them—Yui wake the hell up," He quickly threw her arm off him and quickly changed for school.

"Hm...why," He heard the bed creak and decided to throw Yui a simple white shirt and blue jeans.

"Why didn't you guys bring clothes?" He laid back on the bed, face into the pillow that Yui had slept on.

"We were in a hurry." He heard clothes being shuffled around.

Yesterday night, the Mukami siblings took over the house. Ruki had cooked a ton of food that there were plenty of leftovers in their fridge right now. The siblings and Laito and had got him and Kanato to play games together, sing together and watch movies together.

It was a ton of fun, like their mother hadn't visited yesterday.

"I'm done...Aren't you coming too Ayato?"

"I'm skipping breakfast today."

There was silence, followed by a sudden sound of his door slamming against the wall.

"Even if you don't want food, I'll force in you~"

"Tch, what's wrong with you? Kanato already finished eating."

"Wait—I don't want," Food was forced into his mouth, there was no way to avoid that.

"Knock it off you two, I'll make sure Ayato eats everything on that plate."

Yuma and Laito got off him before patting him on the shoulders. Yuma and Laito pretty much had the same thought swirling around in their head as they both smirked at Ayato. Yuma placed the plate on Ayato's stomach and said, "Good luck with Ruki and Kou later."

"Ayato hurry up and finish or we'll be late—"

"Done,"Ayato said as he showed her the empty plate. "I think we'll be late either way—"

"Don't worry, we have Ruki with us," Yui smile reassuringly.

He had a bad feeling about this.

...

They arrived to school on time with no problem at all. Despite Ruki's appearance, he was scary driver.

The day went by like any other ordinary school day...But having someone like Yui around made it different from school days back in elementary and middle school. Having people like Yui and her siblings in his life was exciting.

"Hey Ayato, do you want to hang out with me after school for a bit today?" During lunch Yui had asked him.

He had accepted of course.

...

"...graves."

"Laito doesn't talk about us right?" Yui place flowers in front of the two graves. "This is my mom and stepdad."

He admired how she wasn't crying her eyes out as she explained. She and her brothers weren't blood related. Her mother and biological father use to own a coffee shop and somewhere along the line there was a divorce. Her father went abroad, running far away from her and her mother. Her stepdad was a huge flirt. He would openly flirt with other woman right in front of her mom but nonetheless her stepdad was far better than her real one.

"They died of a car accident and that's that." Yui stood up and looked at him. "I heard from Ruki and Kou that she came into our shop looking for you guys."

"...This date stinks. Che," He clicked his tongue. "I'm out."

The little "date" didn't stink. He got too learn a whole lot about her today. He was just in a foul mood at the moment.

"Date?! T-This isn't a—Wait," she rushed to his side, following him. "All I'm suggesting is that she seems to care if she's trying to look for you guys."

Yui continued to follow him, persuading him at least keep in touch with his own mother. All the talk about his mother was setting him in a bad mood. He went into that same cafe shop, the one across from Mukami's Bakery Store, where Yui had failed and received an F on flirting.

"Ayato, at least give her a chance." She took a seat across from him, frowning. "Maybe a simple hi to her once a month."

"I'll think about it," he responded sharply.

And he did think about it.

Time quickly flew by and without a lot of support from the Mukami siblings everything got patched up. The siblings had slept over plenty of time and there were days when they had brought in their mother which had sometimes went awry. If it weren't for those siblings, their relationship with their mother would have never mended. They were thankful.

Now their mother would visit at least visit one a week, sometimes more often than that.

There was this one day when she lectured them about how bad it was to go out with multiply girls at the same time or to date them when they, he and Laito, weren't sincerely interested in the in a romantic sense when she herself had done that before—she was doing things like that anymore now at least. He remembered her saying this

"Jeez, why can't you two be more like your little brother?"

It was the weirdest thing, aside from the new her, that he had ever heard from her. Well, even weirder, his mother even pushed him into dating Yui, often saying how the blonde was the perfect girl.

.

.

.

"...Zzz," Ayato was a bit early, resting, lying on the bench in front of the Mukami's shop like it was his own bed. But this time, taking over the bench for a second time in awhile, the weather was not very nice— it was very, very hot.

"Ayato? Wow…," He heard Yui's voice. "I can't believe you came early for once."

He opened his eyes and turned over onto his side. Yui's blonde hair entered his vision so he decided to play with to avoid boredom. "Why can't we skip work together?"

In response she titled her head up a bit and smiled knowingly at him. "You don't have to help out but you always help out anyways."

He started to complain. "But we haven't been on that many—"

"What?~ Care to finish that sentence," Kou threateningly chimed in. "You two already went on a very very long date yesterday, for the entire day."

"You're exaggerating Kou," Yui frowned at the blonde. "It was less than half a day."

"Thirteen hours and twenty-three minutes, you two two spent exactly thirteen hours and twenty-three minutes yesterday,"Ruki stated. Behind Ruki, Kanato, Laito, Azusa and Yuma snickered the outrageous statements concerning the time spent on a date.

Long story short, he was dating Yui but they didn't do any very intimate kisses or anything like that yet. He was taking things slow with her, besides, her elder brother wouldn't allow it until Yui knows how to drive. It wasn't like Ruki was constantly stalking them on dates but Ayato cooperated too, refraining himself from doing overly intimate things.

"Don't worry Ayato," Yui assured as she wiped the table tops while Ayato laid his head down, blocking Yui from wiping the table down hundred percent. "We can go get ice-cream after work."

He kept his head down but he brightened up at Yui's words.

He was glad he was dating her right now and that he asked her out before Subaru could.

His mother was actually right. Yui was perfect for him.


End file.
